This page will no longer be updated. If you find a link is no longer valid let me know but this is one of several pages that while I'm going to keep it up I no longer have the time to maintain it.

I used to be baffled by people who would stay in an abusive situation, I have, however, learned that it's not as simple as those not experiencing believe to it to be. I worked with a woman who dated an abusive man. She'd come into work with broken ribs, stitches, bruises all over the place. He even punctured one of her lungs. I have encountered people who believe that if a person really loves them physical violence is how they demonstrate it. My brother in-law had a girl break up with him for that reason - he wouldn't hit her so she thought he didn't love her! I'm serious! There are shelters available, there is help available. It's out there and there are people who would do what they could in their power to help! If you are in a situation you believe is wrong, please get yourself help before it's too late.

While I haven't been in a physically abusive relationship, having been in a relationship for four plus years with a drug addict and a manic depressive I think has shed a bit of light on this topic for me. I worked so hard at maintaining a "normal" life that I never took the time to worry about myself. I spent years convincing myself that my step-son was better off with me, even if his father wasn't good for him. That I was a better alternative than his mother and therefore continue my marriage with my husband for the sake of his son. I never stopped to consider what it was doing to me or to my daughter, or to my family who though didn't know anything was wrong. It was very hard for me in June 1999 to call his mother who had him for the summer and tell her to keep him.

As a side note, my point of my step-son being better off with me was proven (at least to me) in February 2001 when his mother came through Orlando, Florida with her husband to visit his family in the Melbourne, Florida area and "dropped Jonathan off for the day" to see his father who was at the time in a community controlled rehabilitation center. She never returned to pick him up, never telephoned, and hadn't even bothered to leave Jonathan with more than the clothes on his back. Jonathan is now living with his grandmother and from my understanding is doing quite well.

Abuse Websites || Break the Silence, Stop the Violence || Center For Prevention Of Sexual and Domestic Violence (CPDV) || Domestic Violence || Domestic Violence || Domestic Violence Abused Women || Domestic Violence, Family Violence, Child Abuse || Domestic Violence Handbook || Family Violence Prevention Fund || Lady M's Domain || Leader In Prevention and Treatment Materials For Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence || Messages With Meaning (Webring) || Personalized Safety Plan || Phenomenal Women Of the Web Against Domestic Violence || Safe Horizon || Spouse Abuse and Domestic Violence Cross Reference || Violence Against Women Resources