"William and I had a stand-off in his driveway. He was yelling for my keys and I was shaking my head no. I tried to reason with him but he became more and more irate the more I talked. I tried to go inside the house but he kept blocking the way. The next thing I knew, Wham! His fist went through my face. Again and again. Blood was pouring out of my nose. There was a ringing in my ears. I saw black and I got slammed into the hood of my car which left a dent that looked like my small body. I slid off the car and landed on the driveway when he started kicking me over and over again. His driveway was on an incline and I remember when he would kick me, I would roll up the driveway and then roll back down and he would kick me again. I couldn't get up and I lost my voice just like in a dream when you want to scream but you can't.
Eventually, some people came outside of the next door neighbor's house and they saw us or heard William. I could barely make out the shapes of the men and it took them a few minutes to realize what they were looking at. Once it all clicked that I was being beaten, they started screaming at William to stop. It took four men and William's father to get him off of me. They took him inside and beat the crap out of him. William's step mother helped me get up and remove the gravel which had embedded into my skin and she got me bags of ice to put on my face. No one called the police in case you are wondering." (Finding Hope, the Journey of a Battered Wife pages 54-55.)
If you had been there, what would you have done? Would you have called 911? Domestic violence is a familial disease in my opinion and it affects every single member of the family and even friends. Good, law abiding citizens who know right from wrong will sometimes deny the truth even if they see it with their own two eyes.
Somebody should have called the police that night. This episode was the first time William really beat me. We were just dating. I was only 18 years old.
Weeks and months afterwards, when his family would see me, I felt like I was the bad guy. His step mother just thought I was a moron to stay with William and I suppose she thought that if I stayed, I deserved what I got. I know his father felt that way. He told me exactly how he felt more than once.
What I am trying to tell you is that if you know someone who is living this nightmare, you must speak up. Do the right thing. It doesn't get better with time on its own. Maybe you are afraid calling the police will make things worse. What is worse in the long run? A dead girl?
Not calling the police when you see abuse happening is just fueling the abuser's power. He knows everyone is scared of him and that is why he will keep doing what he is doing. Domestic Violence training for law enforcement workers has come a long way. These professionals know what they are doing. They can whisk the victim and her children to safety. They can lock the abuser in jail where he deserves to be. Domestic Violence Centers not only hide the victim and her children, they can offer her hope and help her develop a really good long- term plan for her future. She will receive legal aid, counseling, and daily support. By taking a stand, you can save a life.
*Support you local women's shelter. No amount is too small.*
No comments:
Post a Comment