But He Said Loved Me: Breaking the Silence on Teenage Dating Violence

But He Said He Loved Me is a powerful and unflinching memoir about first love, manipulation, survival, and the long road back to oneself. At fifteen, Anna believed she had found the kind of love every teenage girl hopes for. But what began as an intense romance slowly transformed into a relationship marked by control, threats, and escalating violence. Like many victims of abuse, she didn't leave--not because she was weak, but because she had been slowly conditioned to stay. With raw honesty and extraordinary courage, Anna takes readers inside the emotional grip of an abusive relationship, revealing why survivors often blame themselves, and how difficult it can be to break free. Today, as a school counselor, advocate, and founder of a nonprofit dedicated to ending teenage dating violence, Anna uses her story to shine a light for others still trapped in silence. But He Said He Loved Me is more than a memoir. It is a lifeline for survivors, a call to awareness for parents and educators, and a powerful reminder that love is not supposed to hurt.