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What are you going to do?!


"The Michie man charged with shooting his estranged wife in front of their 6-year-old daughter Friday was out on bond at the time of the slaying on three cases in which he was charged with various sexual charges and assault." www.jacksonsun.com


This article is only one of 4 that I read today regarding domestic violence that ended in death. Significance you ask? It is the fourth homicide involving domestic violence in Tennessee this year. As I read through each article a particular theme was constant…they all had a prior record involving some form or another of domestic disputes. This particular guy was out on bond for 3 other charges he was facing.  My blood boils when I repeatedly hear how family& friends knew there was a history and problems. If I hear one more excuse of why it isn’t any of your business, I might scream. (Not what was going to come out, but we are PG here)

When is our legal system going to get it? How many more people have to die and their children destroyed because nobody wants to do a darn thing?! These kids have the odds stacked against them…I know, I was ONE of them. The demons you fight every day of your life, the insecurities, the paranoia, lack of trust, dysfunctional relationships etc. I doubt I need to elaborate on the issues.

I know that it is easy to say these people are monsters, well yeah they are, so what can YOU do about it? Nothing is not an option. It is around you and me, you can choose to see it or ignore it. I am not talking about putting a spouse or significant other in jail because you are ticked at them and in the middle of divorce or breaking up. It is common sense. Living with domestic violence, and the abuse I went through has heightened my senses when it comes to anyone I encounter. I work very hard to not make snap judgments, but any time I have a feeling, I know something isn’t right…I am almost 99% accurate, and they turn out to be what I thought. My gut was right. Especially men. (That is because of my situation) Who am I to think I know this? Survivors learn how to survive. You have to know these warning flags or you could be the next statistic.

If everyone put as much energy into these issues that affect GENERATIONS to come, we might have a chance at defeating this demon. Don’t you get it? These children, who are victims and because of their environment, are going to grow into a very angry adult...I know. Been there done that. Some of us make it out only by a thread, and some of us don’t, can’t, won’t…it is different for every one of us that have been there. It is such an uphill battle, and a sad one, because these children are thrust into this mess without having any choice, and then they are thrust from one thing to the next, and then pushed out into this world without a clue. Cycle, over and over again.

When will it stop people? Stop justifying what you can’t do. All that justification does is hurt those of us who have gone through it. You will never know the loneliness, hopelessness, and just devastation that we have the pleasure of remembering for the rest of our lives. Help us change that.
I Will Not Be Silent

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