Domestic Abuse

     Let me preface this by saying THIS IS NOT A CLIFF RELATED POST! He's never intentionally laid a finger on me. He did knee me in the face at one point because I pushed him off the bed, but that's what I get when I decide to rough-house with someone. I'm a klutz and end up accidentally smacking him either into something or with something on an every other day basis. So if there's abuse in our relationship, I'm the offender! 


     I'm watching Army Wives instead of attending Organic Chemistry because its been over two weeks since I've missed a class. Unfortunately, this episode happens to be on domestic violence. A couple recently moved into Post and he beats her on a semi-regular basis. She reaches out to one of the main characters after the MC responds to a 911 call about a "fall" at her house. The MC is a paramedic. 


     This is a touchy subject for many reasons. Some women are just as physically abusive as men and either hit right back or start the hitting. I feel like, if anyone ever hit me, I'd be unable to take the high road and walk away. I'd more than likely hit back. My mom didn't. She's much.... She's an incredibly sweet, soft, caring woman. So when her boyfriend, the father of three of her children, hit her, she took it. She was dating him, on and off, for... At least 5 years. I can't explain what she was thinking, why she decided to stay with him, or what exactly went on between them. I have very few memories of my life prior to about 4th grade. But there is this bone deep lingering feeling of fear and dread when I have to be in the same room as him. He happens to be the son of my Grandma, so I still see him occasionally at family functions. I'm not sure I'll ever shake that feeling. Considering how fearlessly I tend to rush out and meet adversity my dread is a little bit paralyzing. I avoid him at all costs. I never end up in a room alone with him. I rarely speak to him. 


     What I'm driving at is, if you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, please get help. It doesn't stop on its own. Men who are willing to hit their girlfriends, their wives, their children aren't men at all. Only a coward would abuse a person they should be caring for. Unfortunately, the abused needs to take the first step. They have to admit that there is something wrong with being abused and reach out for help. So if you are that person, tell a friend, go to the police, whoever is hurting you isn't omnipotent. They won't be able to reach you from a jail cell. And if you know someone who's being abused, be a friend. Let them know its safe to tell you anything. Let them know that they'll be free of judgement, no matter how long this was going on. 


     On a completely unrelated side-note, I finally have an address!!!! I know I posted about this already, but I am still excited about it!!!