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Woman who was victim of teen dating violence shares message to help others

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police said that four of Charlotte’s seven homicides this year have been domestic related.

Advocates are reaching out to young victims of domestic violence before it's too late.

[LINK: Teen violence resources]

[LINK: Love is respect]

[LINK: Teen dating violence resources: Mecklenburg County]

Experts told Channel 9 that one in three teens will experience dating abuse, and 80 percent of parents don't believe teen dating violence exists.

A domestic abuse survivor said she was “choked and threatened to be killed” by a man she once dated.

Trey Gibson spoke with Channel 9 reporter Stephanie Tinoco about the warning signs parents need to know, and wants to share her message to help others who are struggling.

"I was choked. I was pushed, I had my hair pulled. I was spit on, and that's not mentioning the emotional abuse as well,” Gibson said.

Gibson said she was a 19-year-old college student when she met the man she thought she was going to marry.

"It was like a fairy-tale type of relationship,” Gibson said.

The fairy tale faded and she said she became a victim of teen dating violence.

"It became violent,” Gibson said. “He just slapped me in the middle of the fight. I just couldn't believe that this person that I thought I'd known would do that to me."

Gibson was gripping onto the relationship in hopes that he would change.

"With each incident, he would say he was sorry and say he wouldn't do it again,” Gibson said. “I wanted to believe him, so I did."

Gibson said she lost friends and her grades suffered, and at one point, she dropped out of college.

A crucial conversation with her boyfriend's mother set her up for breakthrough.

"I just remember his mom talking to me and saying that, unless I wanted to end up like her, that I should really leave,” Gibson said.

Alex Pyun, a social worker with Mecklenburg County said that a growing number of teens are in abusive relationships, but there are red flags that may expose a teenager needing help.

"Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department are fielding about 100 phone calls every day related to domestic violence and we know a lot of these relationships started in their teenage years, Pyun said. “If the teen's dating partner is excessively controlling or excessively jealous, those are behaviors that are warning signs.”

Gibson’s purpose is to spread the word about abusive relationships and help prevent others from experiencing the same.

"I do forgive him and I hope that he gets the help that he needs,” Gibson said.

A dance and open mic teen night will take place from 6-10 p.m. on Saturday at the Stratford Richardson YMCA, located at 1946 West Boulevard in Charlotte, for teen's involved in abusive relationships.

The event will feature a DJ, free dinner, prizes, a teen panel, open mic, singing, poetry, rap, art and dance.

The register, go to this website:  https://F4L2018.EventBrite.com