A group of friends are raising money for a Bendigo woman who is fighting for her life after allegedly being severely beaten by her boyfriend last week.
Police have charged Benjamin Day, 27, in relation to the alleged September 14 Narre Warren assault on Kimmie Kingdon, 32.
Ms Kingdon remains in an induced coma in a Melbourne hospital.
Her friends say she has suffered a brain injury as a result of the alleged attack and doctors are still determining the severity of her condition.
The three women - Chantelle, Rebecca and Tracey* - say her recovery will be long and difficult and she will need ongoing financial support.
They have set up a crowd funding page, which has so far raised more than $1000, and will host a barbecue in coming weeks, in the hope of raising more.
But the women also want to use Ms Kingdon's plight to spread a message about domestic violence.
All three have experienced domestic violence in their own lives and they want to warn other women about the signs to look out for.
Chantelle said her former partners were all highly narcissistic - having a charming public image but ultimately being selfish and egotistical.
"They have a fantastic masquerade," she said.
"They never take ownership of their actions, always finding an excuse," she said.
She said her former partners thought the world owed them something, often feeling they had been hard done by.
She said she used to be attracted to people who appeared to need help, but eventually discovered these men were not the victims they presented themselves to be.
"You have to look for someone who wants to love you, not someone who needs your help," she said.
The women all said emotional abuse was worse than physical abuse, and needed to be taken just as seriously by law enforcement agencies.
They said there needed to be improved methods to have emotionally abusive partners removed from houses - immediately after a request was made.
They said Ms Kingdon was a vivacious woman who was bubbly and kind.
"She'd give you the shirt off her back if you needed it," Tracey said.
To donate to the fundraiser, go to http://www.gofundme.com/d1l8lc
*Names changed to protect identities.
