"Never in my life had I felt so much pain."

As a nation, we've been making more of an effort to open up the conversation regarding sexual assault.

Of course, there's a lot more work to be done. But more and more people are feeling comfortable sharing their stories, and that's a step in the right direction.

One person who was inspired to share his story was the man behind the Twitter account, @AngryBlkMan. He shed light upon a dimension of rape that still goes largely unspoken: What sort of effect does rape have on a romantic relationship? What happens to a couple after the woman gets brutally assaulted?

In heart-wrenching detail, this man shared with us the ways in which the rape of the woman he loved shattered his heart and completely crumbled their entire relationship.

I have the tweets lined up for you in chronological order. Read along, and empathize with him on his devastating experience:

— Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

July 10, 1998. The day before my birthday. I was out with the homies at an Orioles game. Hung out, got drunk, got high, had a ball. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

My girlfriend at the time had been out planning a surprise b-day party for me. Of course I was not aware of this at the time. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Anyway, I got home sometime around 2am. I admit that I had been driving drunk and should've stayed where I was. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

We lived together in Greenbelt at the time. I pulled up to the condo and saw a rack of police. I was drunk, so I got scared. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I didn't want to get out of the car and get hit with a DUI, so I sat there for about 30 mins. I then fell asleep. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I woke up around 4am to my girl's sister blowing up my cell phone. I answered and she was screaming "Where are you!?!?" — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I said "I'm right here, I'm right here" as I ran past the police cars still parked there, into the building and to my condo. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

As I ran up the stairs I saw pieces of a dress that I had bought my girl strewn all over the steps. My heart was racing like shit. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I got to my front door and cops were taking fingerprints. I told them who I was, showed my ID and they allowed me access. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I walked in and my girl was on the floor balled up in a fetal position covered in a bathrobe.

I walked in and my girl was on the floor balled up in a fetal position covered in a bathrobe. I walked over to her & she was shaking — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I kept asking what happened, but she wouldn't answer. She just kept crying. Her sister pulled me away, into the bedroom & broke the news. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

As she arrived home & placed her key in the door, she heard quick footsteps. A man grabbed her from behind & began to choke her. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

He tried to force her into the apartment, but she fought back. He then dragged her down 2 flights of stairs & out of the building. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

From there he assaulted her physically and then forcefully took her to the back of the building into a wooded area. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

At that point, he then sexually assaulted her. He physically assaulted her. He stole her purse & her keys and took off in her car. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I went back out and tried to hug my girl. She screamed.

As my girl's sister told me this, I broke down. I mean, I broke the fuck down. I went back out and tried to hug my girl. She screamed. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I talked to the police. They verified what her sister told me. I was in shock. I couldn't breathe. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

My baby was hurting. I wasn't there.

My baby was hurting. I wasn't there. I wasn't there to keep this from happening. Dear, God.. why!?!? — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Never in my life had I felt so much pain. I wasn't there to keep her from being raped. I was all kinds of fucked up. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Her sister got her up enough to get her to the hospital. We rode in the car silently. I sat in waiting areas while exams were done. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Got home. Her mom had arrived by then with her other sisters. They all surrounded her with love. Me, she wouldn't let me near her at all — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I just sat there... broken. There was nothing I could do.

I just sat there... broken. There was nothing I could do. I'd touch her gently and she'd jump and start crying. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Called a locksmith in the AM & had the locks changed. Called police about the car being stolen. Called insurance. Called my parents. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Cops had nothing on the car. Insurance was being a hassle. My mom then came over to see her. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

She went to stay with her sister. I advertised the condo for rent and we moved less than a week after the incident. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

She didn't say a single word to me for close to two weeks.

There was no way we could stay there. She was a shell. She didn't say a single word to me for close to two weeks. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

The police would call, say they had potential suspects and I'd drive her down to Palmer Park to look at line-ups. Nothing. A painful process — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Eventually we settled into the basement of a friend's home for shelter. All of our stuff in storage. No car found, no assailant caught. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

After months of going to police station, the leads didn't pan out. No one was caught. The car turned up in the parking lot at Jasper's. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

She refused to get back in the car. State Farm gave me hassle. Claims agent joked that maybe we stole our own car since it was found close. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

All the anger & pain bottled up in me released. I jumped over the counter at the State Farm office and grabbed the claims agent. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

They threatened to call the police. I told them what he said and what we had been through and that I had every right to kirk out on him. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

We ended up getting compensated for items stolen from the vehicle and nothing else. I sold the car and got her something else. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

For the next 18 mos, it was pure hell. I did everything I could to be there for her. I didn't push sex because I knew what her psyche was. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Even 18 mos later when I tried to hug her, she'd shiver and cry uncontrollably.

No intimacy at all. Even 18 mos later when I tried to hug her, she'd shiver and cry uncontrollably. She refused any suggestions of therapy. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

2 years after the incident, we parted ways. We had been together for 3 years before that terrible night occurred. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I still reflect back to that night and the shit still hurts like hell. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I wasn't there to save her from the pain and anguish.

I wasn't there to save her from the pain and anguish. I wasn't there. I was out with the homies at a baseball game, drinking & smoking. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Of course there was no way for me to know an assailant would victimize her that night. But I still feel bad about it. I wasn't there........ — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

My 26th birthday. A day I'll never forget. The pain I still hold in my heart. The love I had for someone who was sexually assaulted. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I changed.

Life changed. I changed. I never let any woman I was dating walk to or from my home or theirs without escort or careful watch. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Yes, the perpetrator was eventually arrested & convicted. I started my story with the link to his sentence. https://t.co/KgQLEVo6Ia — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

I wanted to kill him for what he did to her.

I had years of wishing I could get my hands on him. I had so much bottled up in me. I wanted to kill him for what he did to her. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

The system took care of him. Justice right? I don't feel it. He ruined lives. Not just my girlfriend's life, but other women he raped. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Anyway, as you can tell I'm still impacted by it. 18 years later. Thanks for listening... — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

While I'm being transparent & 100% truthful. It wasn't just my girlfriend, it was my wife. Incident occurred a month after we got married. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

That incident wrecked our marriage.

Still very, very hard to digest. That incident wrecked our marriage. Sadly, there was no recovering from it. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

Ok, got that off my chest. Again, thanks for listening. — Angry Man (@AngryBlkManDC) August 16, 2016

This story broke my heart, and I'm sure it broke yours too.

But we have to commend the man for deciding to come forward and share his story after 18 years of keeping it private.