A Slice of Hope: Alison's Story

By Tricia Scott.

If you had passed Alison on the street a few years ago, you'd have seen a smiling woman, tidy and polite, maybe a kind word for the cashier at the corner shop. You'd never guess she was surviving one of the most isolating and traumatic experiences of her life.

Because that's the thing about abuse, it doesn't always leave marks you can see. But it changes everything.

For years, Alison lived in a relationship that stole her freedom, confidence, and connection to the outside world. "I was in a domestic and mental abuse relationship for many years," she told us. "Gradually, I was isolated from family and friends, told that if i left I would soon go back because I was living in a fantasy world and wasn't capable of surviving without him. No one knew what was happening behind closed doors. To them, it probably looked like I was just... drifting away."

There was no mobile phone to call for help. No bank account with spare cash for a bus ticket. No space to breathe. 

"You blame yourself," she admits. "You try anything to make it better. You live for crumbs of kindness. Something as small as buying the wrong brand of food could mean days of abuse."

Alison masked the pain with a smile whenever she stepped outside. It's what many survivors do. A coping mechanism. A shield. But inside, the cracks were forming, and her children were beginning to see them, too.

Her youngest daughter, just sixteen, started asking the question that haunted their quietest moments: Can we leave?

Alison's dad was the only person who knew even a little of the truth. "He never said anything," she explained. "He didn't want it to reflect badly on me. But he was always quietly there."

Then, one day, like the tiniest crack of sunlight breaking through heavy clouds, an opportunity appeared. A kind woman who knew a bit of Alison's situation mentioned a house for rent. It wasn't much. But it was enough.

"I was terrified. But I knew I wouldn't get another chance. So I signed the lease in the local shop to keep it quiet. My dad helped furnish the house piece by piece."
On May 25th, 2018, Alison walked away from the life that had tried to break her. "I had nothing but the clothes on my back. My three children came with me. That night, we celebrated with a takeaway."

But leaving didn't mean the fear ended.

Two weeks later, he found them.

He threatened their lives.

This time, they weren't alone. The police got involved. Charges were pressed. Alison and her daughter stood together in court, nervous and scared but surrounded by support. He was found guilty.

That was seven years ago.

Today, Alison is 63, and her home is filled with laughter, light, and the delicious smell of freshly baked cakes. Her children still live with her. "We're totally free now," she smiles. "Happy. Safe."

Her dad, her quiet champion through the darkest days, had always encouraged her to bake. "He'd have cookbooks waiting for me when I visited," she said, eyes glinting with pride. Now, Alison's turning that shared love into something beautiful: her own small baking business.

"When I'm not working, I bake for friends and colleagues. I started an Instagram in November—@lizzie_inthe_kitchen. My cakes aren't expensive, and that's on purpose. I believe everyone should be able to afford cake." (Excuse us while we go cry and order six.)

There are still flashbacks. There probably always will be. But Alison lives with hope in her heart, purpose in her hands, and icing sugar on her sleeves.

To anyone still living through abuse, Alison has this to say:

"Stay strong. Even on the days when it feels like nothing will ever change. We never forget, but we can live each day without fear. There is another side. And it can be sweet."

She didn't set out to change the world. She just wanted peace. Safety. A kitchen filled with laughter instead of fear.

And in choosing herself, despite the odds, despite the fear, she did something extraordinary.

She changed her world.

And that changes everything.

 Tricia Scott is a passionate startup business mentor and the Founder and Editor of The Female CEO - Create Evolve Overcome, a platform and digital magazine holding the space to showcase female entrepreneurs from all over the world. 

The Female CEO is gaining global recognition daily and Tricia is able to bring her own level of expertise as a start-up mentor and multi-company director to her very exclusive table along with her team of brilliant Guest Editors and Contributors. You'll usually find her with her MacBook in one hand and a coffee or a glass of something fizzy in the other. Reach out anytime!