the Bitch in the house

Here is a post I wrote this last summer: A Duty to Protect, Duty to Warn. A few of my friends posted comments on the facebook fanpage, and I got lots of nice messages and emails of support.  However, the reason I posted about what was happening in our lives right in the moment is because domestic violence is hard to look at so most people turn away.  I wanted to write-out-loud about what was happening to us in a, hopefully articulate way, to give voice to the thousands of families who can’t speak out for themselves.  Because domestic violence happens across all economic strata and class lines and for a variety of reasons it is as difficult to talk about as it is to see in our communities, our loved ones, our friends.

It’s hard to know how to help people who are experiencing violence in their lives and it triggers all kinds of outa-control feelings for everyone.  Of course that is the precise purpose of the perpetrator of domestic violence – to isolate the victim.  My family is still reeling over our personal experiences of this last summer and trying to find a new norm.  To be perfectly honest, it’s a difficult adjustment.  The consequences of our ‘summer of crazytown’ (as we call it around here) will be far-reaching and not just for me and my husband, but for the ePrince and the lilEinstein as well.

I wish I could say that the trouble is over, but the outlaws are doing their damndest to drag it out and make it continue to hurt.  And that is the most difficult part of domestic violence, it doesn’t just end after the bruises go away.

My small public service announcement to you: if you know someone who has experienced domestic violence do not hesitate to reach out.  Shelters are not often the best solution, so talk with a local counselor or visit: the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence to learn more ways that you can help.