| It's enough to make the most indifferent of | | | | have the guy thrown in jail? |
| observers angry. Except like many of us the target | | | | As to the second question many domestic violence |
| of their anger is generally misplaced. | | | | victims believe rightly or wrongly that law |
| We see a woman who is a victim of domestic | | | | enforcement is powerless to do anything in these |
| violence and are upset that she has let herself | | | | types of situations. A number of jurisdictions are |
| become victimized. | | | | starting to take domestic violence quite seriously as |
| Of course saying she let herself is not exactly | | | | well as getting tough with abusers. |
| correct but at this point many of us do not care. She | | | | But it was not always the case and in some parts of |
| got herself into this and refuses to get herself out. | | | | the country it remains so. Quite a few women are |
| Pretty soon this cold response gives way to outright | | | | eyewitnesses to what happened to themselves and |
| blame. Maybe even trying to convince yourself that | | | | other victims when police were called. Nothing. It is |
| she has got it coming. | | | | better to deal with the situation themselves rather |
| Or something like that. After all she has never | | | | than call the police and make the problem worse. |
| reported her spouse or boyfriend to the police. That | | | | As to why she does not leave? Try fear and threats |
| has always been left to a third party. And when the | | | | of something worse than the physical assault. When |
| cops arrived what did she do? Tell them nothing | | | | getting out of an abusive relationship the threat of |
| happened or take the blame herself. For crying out | | | | violence may decrease over time but for the |
| loud the guy almost put her in the hospital and she | | | | immediate and foreseeable future many victims find |
| protects him like he's the epitome of innocence. | | | | themselves at greater risk. |
| At this juncture you might take the next step and | | | | There is something else which those of us on the |
| attempt to convince yourself that she has got this | | | | outside looking in refuse to consider. And that is the |
| coming. | | | | untold psychological damage that has been done to |
| That is of course a ridiculous sentiment. She signed | | | | the victim of domestic violence. When she does wind |
| up to love and build a strong positive relationship not | | | | up leaving that situation it tales a good deal of love, |
| to be physically assaulted. But the thinking follows a | | | | support and protection for her to rebuild her life |
| certain pattern in our society. When in doubt blame | | | | thanks to the abuse she has suffered. |
| the victim. | | | | But for many of us all that would require the will to |
| The National Institute of Justice estimates that close | | | | explore past the preconceived ideas we have put in |
| to ninety five percent of all domestic violence victims | | | | place. For society in general it's about winners and |
| are women. That confirms what many of us already | | | | losers. And not leaving a losing situation means the |
| knew but the Georgia Department of Human | | | | victim is more than likely a loser. |
| Resources brings into sharper focus by calculating | | | | Except they are not. They are individuals trapped in a |
| that every nine seconds somewhere in the United | | | | violent relationship that they never asked for. The |
| States a woman becomes the victim of domestic | | | | fact that domestic violence has been a long time |
| violence. | | | | epidemic means that as a society we are all losing. |
| Why doesn't she just leave or when the police arrive | | | | |