An interaction on a reality TV show kept Joannie Blyth awake all night.

It was an odd trigger: angry, yet nonviolent, words and mannerisms between a rapper she’d never heard of and the man’s mother. And yet it haunted her to the absolute core.

The fight transported her back eight years, as she lay in the fetal position on her bed, waiting for her then-husband of more than 20 years to continue with his frenzied outburst. Waiving a gun, he’d scream at her, before going to the basement, only to return minutes later. She counted the second intervals, the minutes between abusive episodes. She saw only three escape routes: be killed, run or jump.

“I was just ready to jump out the window, just to get over all this ugliness,” Blyth recalled. “But I had a vision of my children and knew that I couldn’t do this.”

Blyth said she eventually ran, gathering her shoes and purse, sleeping in a car for three days before finding refuge at her sister’s home. She said her husband emptied the bank account and left her with practically nothing.

Blyth never told her children of this, or multiple other instances of verbal and physical abuse she said she endured, choosing to suffer in solitude, protecting the family from the ugly truth as best she could.

With the help of time, a growing bond with her family and a drive to inspire others, Blyth told The Reporter the details of her trauma on the eve of the Take a Step Against Domestic Violence 5K Walk set for Sept. 27, which she spearheaded through the Covington Rotary Club in conjunction with the city’s Purple Light Nights commemoration.

Blyth explained the loneliness she felt after years of abuse that escalated from Chicago to Covington. How she fought the urge to leave or seek help for her children’s sake. She sees similarities in her experiences with others who are swept away in a similar silence.

“It is behind closed doors,” she said. “It happens everywhere. That is the reason I did what I am doing. It has to come to the forefront. Our voices have to be heard.”

One in four women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime, according to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Yet, bringing awareness to these abuses has long been a complex, solitary struggle with uneven results. The crime recently caromed back into national prominence when a video of NFL star Ray Rice surfaced that showed the running back dragging his unconscious then-fiancé from an elevator. Rice received a two game suspension from the NFL, a punishment widely criticized for being too lenient. The NFL later upped the penalty after elevator footage showed Rice punching the woman repeatedly in the face, knocking her out. The NFL’s reaction, along with other recent assault-related controversies, has left the powerful sport with a mightily damaged image.

Victoria Throm, founder of the nonprofit Covington Domestic Violence Task Force, is pleased that the public has pressured the NFL to look at itself.She said the task force is trying to use the Ray Rice situation in a positive way.

“We are taking advantage of it being talked about because it is such a silent issue,” she said. “You hear it and say, ‘oh that is awful,’ but when you see it you can’t really turn a blind eye to that.”

The Rice situation touches on multiple domestic abuse issues, including victim blaming and the difficulties of leaving an abusive relationship.

Blyth seems to understand the Rice situation better than most. She told The Reporter that she will always love her husband, who died three years ago from cancer, and that while he did wrong, he “was a good man” who “got lost in the path of life” with drugs and alcohol after more than a decade and a half of near marital bliss.

“I hear people say, ‘he wasn’t really like that. He didn’t really hit me,’” she said. “An abuser is an abuser. The person gets lost. It’s a difficult thing.”

With the reality TV show on her mind and the Rice situation on headlines around the country, Blyth contacted Throm about contributing to the awareness effort with the additional event. The walk is not a sanctioned race and Throm pitched the 5k as a walking memorial in honor of anyone who has been impacted by domestic abuse. Some walkers will be carrying Stop Domestic Abuse signs.

“It’s not about a fundraiser, just about creating awareness in the community,” Throm said.

Blyth said she can no longer sit idly by while the silent victimization continue.

“I have no idea what the effect is going to be,” Blyth said of the 5k. “I don’t care if it is 10 to 20 people at the walk. It will be brought to the attention.”

“I am not embarrassed,” Blyth added. “I am not shy. I am strong.”

While the 5k is just getting started, the Purple Light Nights campaign is the nonprofits main fundraiser and is a remembrance of those who died from domestic violence. The event has spread to 28 states around the country. Individual light bulbs are available for purchase for $3 at City Hall, to be installed over a home’s front porch. All 28 street trees around City Hall have been accounted for by sponsors. The lights will stay on through the month of October. Leadership students from Kentlake, who created a teen dating violence awareness month in February, helped Throm string lights for the event.

Similar to when hip hop artist Chris Brown assaulted pop star Rihanna, Throm said the national stage often brings back important conversations on domestic violence. She is hopeful that the extra attention will lead to greater support for the events.

“When it gets national attention it creates a lot of dialogue,” Throm said. “The whole root of the problem is it is a shameful thing, (that the victim doesn’t) want to talk about it. It keeps it from being in the news or finding resolutions. More women are coming out for assistance. We hope that will maybe create more people being aware that it goes on in all kinds of society.”

Blyth said there are a lot of reasons to keep domestic abuse secret – for income, children, embarrassment, job. She said hers is a story that, “needs to be told,” in part because she survived.

“There’s definitely a lot of reasons that women have to stay,” she said. “I am very fortunate that I have found my voice and I chose to use it.”

Blyth recently told a woman who was “bruised from corner to corner” about the domestic abuse walk. She said the woman divulged that she was being beaten but didn’t know how to get out of the relationship.

“We cannot continue this,” Blyth said. “We have a voice and we have to use it. And our voice has to be louder and clearer.”

What: Take a Step Against Domestic Violence 5k Walk; eighth annual Purple Lights Nights.

When: Check-in 4:30 p.m. Walk begins at 5 p.m. Free hot dog dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the Purple Light Nights tree lighting ceremony.

Cost: $5 suggested donation per family for the walk, $3 for a purple light bulb.

Why: All proceeds go to the Domestic Violence Task Force.