Singer, writer and photographer Darrian Amaker‎.

American photographer and singer Darrian Amaker recorded a song from her hospital bed about surviving a brutal bashing at the hands of her partner.

She posted the video, recorded late last year, on the awareness raising Facebook page for the the National Coalition Against Domestic, and courageous story of survival has since been shared around the world.

Last November, she wrote, her partner "went straight psychotic" and beat her for 10 hours.

"He had planned it out; I was supposed to die. I survived or escaped, whatever you want to call it, and spent four days in the hospital, eyes swollen shut, wondering why, wondering why."


It was from hospital, where she lay "deeply shaken" that Amaker decided to record a song. She said it "felt important and a small triumph to make something, salvage anything from my shipwrecked heart".

Hello - my name is darrian. A few days after thanksgiving this past year, my Love went straight psychotic and beat me... Posted by Darrian Amaker on Saturday, January 16, 2016

"Domestic violence is not a faraway issue. It affects people you know, cheerful people, people who sing, people who love. We the humans must be better, kinder, stronger. We the loving must not tolerate abuse. We the living must facilitate life."

After Amaker described the terrible damage that had been done to her face, Mandi Edwards, the executive director of the Face Forward organisation, commented on the post. Face Forward funds reconstructive surgery for survivors of domestic violence.

"Darrian, though I don't know the full extent of your facial injuries, if Face Forward, Inc. can assist you with any surgical, needs, please know we are here to help," wrote Edwards. "Feel free to message me directly with any questions."

Amaker says the man who beat her, no longer her partner, has been formally charged by a grand jury with six felonies and faces many years as a prisoner.

National domestic violence helpline: 1800 737 732 or 1800RESPECT.