We Are Phenomenal Women’s Shernice Gatewood wants to spread awareness and save lives

Shernice Gatewood (Contributed)

Tara Michel

Special to the AmNews

At 18 years old, due to a complicated relationship with her mother, Shernice Gatewood said that she and her daughter moved out away from home. She went to live with her boyfriend who is also the father of her child. Unaware of the signs, her boyfriend revealed himself to be abusive. “I thought he was more of my protector. I thought he was someone that loved me. He started cursing at me, then after a while he started hitting me with a remote control, then it went to a choke, and a smack. It was a lot and it really traumatized me,” Gatewood says. She thought about leaving, but she had no place to go, and was scared he was going to find her and hurt her.