A San Antonio survivor of domestic abuse is sharing her story for the first time to encourage others to never be afraid to speak up and seek help.
Debi Castillo is the owner of Debi and Co. Color Studio on Blanco Road.
Before she became a community leader and a public servant through her skills as a hairstylist, she said she felt trapped in her prior relationship.
She said she suffered severe abuse over the course of 18 years until her mother gave her tough but sound advice.
“I keep a picture of my mom up in the salon who died September 2011,” Castillo said. “Her last words on her dying bed to me was, ‘Finish your education and leave because you are going to die.’ I walked out of that relationship the minute I buried my mom and went home.”
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That planned escape is one of the very reasons why Castillo is passionate about becoming an ambassador for the Love Purse organization.
It is a nonprofit that collects purses to create escape bags filled with needed items for survivors of domestic abuse.
“I do it because I am that woman,” she said. “I am that woman that left the house with her child without a purse. I only thought of him and what he needed. I grabbed his bear and blanket, and I left with him. I left with nothing.”
But leaving with nothing gave Castillo and her son a life filled with happiness they’ve never known.
She married her wife in 2016, opened Debi and Co. Color Studio in 2019, and is attending school for her MBA to start her own nonprofit for women.
“The first step is to love yourself,” she said. “Love yourself and know there is someone that will listen to you. Every testimony and every story is different whether you are a woman, man, straight or gay. There is someone who cares. Love Purse is that stepping stone to get you to your next destination.”
Today, as a bold survivor, community leader and a strong voice of encouragement to others affected by domestic abuse, she says to be strong.
“There is always a helping hand. Just don’t be afraid to ask. I was afraid to ask and that is why I speak up now. See something, you say something,” she said.
The Love Purse organization in San Antonio is actively working with organizations and companies, hosting purse drives and getting connected with community leaders who can distribute the purses to those who need them.
She said she will be collecting purses at her salon at 5525 Blanco Road. If you need to coordinate a time for drop-off, you can call 210-343-0574.
If you would like to see how you can donate, whether it is monetary or in the form of supplies and purses, visit lovepurse.org.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
Survivors in unincorporated Bexar County who are not in current emergencies can fill out an online form to get in touch with STAR specialists. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
For wrap-around services, including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.
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