HAMPTON, Va. — Ashley Battaglia said she remembers the argument leading up to the fight, but she doesn't remember the blows that landed her in the hospital.
"Everything just fades away. There's only bits and pieces, but I remember running out of the house," she said.
Battaglia said she woke up in the hospital with seven stab wounds to the face, a brain injury, and damage to her nose and jaw. She identified the suspect who assaulted her as her husband, Christopher Seymour.
"I'd always think he'd change, that he would change for me, but I knew this time he didn't," said Battaglia.
Hampton Police identified Seymour as a suspect in Battaglia's assault, but could not immediately find him. Instead, authorities in Michigan found Seymour more than 600 miles away after the assault.
He was taken into custody without incident, but Battaglia said she still has trouble finding peace.
"I didn't go outside, I've been stuck in this house for the past three months because I don't even want to go to the store," said Battaglia.
She said the physical and emotional trauma dealt to her that night was severe and she has carried it forward for the past 5 months. She said she had to get new teeth as a result of her assault, and the change was difficult to explain to her young child.
She said there are not enough resources when it comes to supporting those impacted by domestic violence.
"It just dwindled away, they say one thing in the hospital and another thing once I was out," said Battaglia. "I feel like I'm on the backburner."
Battaglia said she hopes by sharing her story she will spread awareness about the realities of domestic violence, and also give a simple message to those who find themselves in harmful relationships:
"Leave, and don't look back," said Battaglia. "I've lost everything in my life because of this and I don't know how to get it back.
If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic violence, you can always call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.