AUTHORS AGAINST ABUSE

Authors Against Abuse is the fundraising arm of the I Know Why She Stayed Initiative, a survivor-led organization founded by three authors who have lived through abuse themselves. Because the federal government has drastically reduced funds for programs that support victims of domestic abuse, we raise money through our annual April event by inviting authors, editors, and publishers to donate their work and time to an annual silent auction. The benefit to those who donate is that we have often promoted this event at major publishing events including the London Book Fair, the Frankfurt Book Fair, and the American Library Association conference.

Every dollar raised supports Beyond Survival: The 4-Pillar Program to Rise & Rebuild, our trauma-informed curriculum that uses scientifically based writing to healing techniques. Abuse is rarely one dramatic incident. Unfortunately, it’s a pattern built from small, individually deniable actions like economic control, isolation, and coercion. That’s exactly why survivors often struggle to name what’s happening to them, and why outsiders underestimate it. Beyond Survival gives people the vocabulary to identify these patterns, tools to regulate their nervous systems, and a way to reframe their experience that opens the door to recovery.

We deliver this program through libraries and reentry programs on purpose. These are everyday spaces that don’t require a crisis, a shelter stay, or a disclosure to walk through the door — which matters most for people who might otherwise never reach specialized DV services, especially in under-resourced or rural areas.

Changing How the Story Ends

At I Know Why She Stayed, we understand how devastating and harmful financial abuse can be because we’ve lived it.

Learn about Beyond Survival: The 4-Pillar Program to Rise & Rebuild, a blend of knowledge and experience to help others escape the traps of financial abuse.

Our Supporters

When Love Becomes Leverage:

The Realities of Coercive Control

What happens when love is weaponized? This panel dives into the psychological and financial tactics abusers use to manipulate, isolate, and dominate their partners — all under the guise of care, concern, or romance. We’ll examine the lived realities of coercive control, the warning signs often missed, and the cultural myths that keep survivors silent. Through personal stories and expert insights, this discussion will confront the complex and painful ways control is exerted in intimate relationships — and how we begin to name and dismantle it.

Our Partners

Photo & Model: Cait Alexander

Want to Help?

Community impact can happen in small steps or broad changes. Here’s how you can support Authors Against Abuse and the I Know Why She Stayed Initiative:

Don’t Just Write About Change—Be the Change.

#IKnowWhySheStayed | #AuthorsAgainstAbuse

Interested in sponsoring? Contact our team.