#WhyIStayed was started by which writer and survivor?

#WhyIStayed was started by writer and domestic-ab violence survivor Beverly Gooden. She created the hashtag on Twitter in September 2014 after video of football player Ray Rice assaulting Janay Rice prompted widespread discussion about why victims remain in abusive relationships.

Gooden’s purpose was to redirect attention from questioning why Janay Rice stayed toward asking why the abuser attacked her. She posted personal explanations, including fear, isolation, financial obstacles, promises that the abuse would stop, and difficulty finding a safe way to leave. The hashtag quickly became a major online discussion and was used more than 100,000 times in less than two days.

The campaign is sometimes confused with #WhyILeft, which developed alongside it as survivors described what enabled them to escape. It is also distinct from #MeToo, which became widely prominent later. Gooden’s activism emphasized that staying in an abusive relationship is not evidence of consent or weakness; leaving can involve serious practical and safety risks.