WASHINGTON — On Oct. 2, 2002, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo began shooting people, one by one, across the D.C. area. The attacks over the next three weeks left 10 people dead, three seriously wounded and a region terrorized -- with schools locked down and people afraid to pump gas.
As Domestic Violence Awareness Month comes to a close, we spoke to Mildred Muhammed, John Allen Muhammad's ex-wife, and a domestic abuse survivor. She talked about how she survived the abusive relationship and is now trying to change the narrative when it comes to victims of abuse.
She also spoke about how some people tried to blame her for the D.C. sniper shootings.
"They told me that if I would have stayed with him, he just would have killed me. If I would have stayed on the west coast, people on the east coast would still be alive. How dare I call me and my children victims when none of us were hurt or killed? How dare I bring this drama into this quiet community," she said. "I was trying to get help before all of that. Before it even got to this point. But no one would listen because I didn't have the physical scars to prove that I was being victimized."
Mildred Muhammad wrote about her relationship with the man who would become the D.C. sniper in her 2010 memoir, "Scared Silent: When I Love You Becomes I Fear You."
In the years since, Mildred Muhammad has become a fierce advocate for victims of domestic violence. She has a simple message to share.
"Stop acting the victims why they stay. Start asking the abuser why do you abuse," Mildred Muhammad said. "When you ask the victim why do you stay, you put the full responsibility of the abusive relationship on the victim."
For more information on domestic violence or if you need help, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or speak with a specialist online at thehotline.org. For a list of shelter programs near you, visit domesticshelters.org.