My Journey through Domestic Violence



                       

  

          I have experienced domestic violence first hand and I am glad to say I have made it through alive.  Even though six years has passed I still carry some emotional and physical scars.  During my journey of researching how to break the cycle of domestic abuse I have learned a wealth of information.  Reading the articles and writing my blog posts brought back a lot of bad memories.

                I decided to blog about domestic violence because it is something I am all too familiar with.  I have two daughters that are growing up quickly and I want to prevent this from happening to them.  Statistics show that daughters of abused women are six times more likely to be sexually abused as girls from non-abusive families.  Child victims of severe violence have two to four times higher rates of trouble-making friends, temper tantrums, failing grades in school, having problems in school and at home (Gateway, 2009).  As a mother I want the best for my children and I also empathize with others who experience abuse. 

                During my research I discovered that same sex domestic violence happens just as much as traditional domestic violence.  Domestic violence has no gender or income level.  It was surprising to me that other countries do not have laws to protect the victims of domestic violence cases.  I think the citizens of the United States take our freedom and rights for granted.  Celebrities are even affected by domestic violence and some have become spokespeople to help prevent it from happening.

                This blog experience has taken me on an emotional journey.  I hope the people who read my blog can feel how important this issue is.  A lot of people hide domestic violence because they are ashamed and afraid of speaking out.  I am so glad that the doctor’s offices and clinics have posters up about domestic violence.  They even have groups that victims can join for free.  There is a way out and plenty of people to help the victim when she gets ready.

                I really enjoyed this experience and it was an emotional outlet for me.  I thought the pain and hurt was gone but it all resurfaced when writing my post.  I hope that my experiences and information that I found will help someone out of a bad situation.  I am fortunate that my kids remember very little about what happen to me and I hope that they never have to go through the abuse I endured.

Gateway, C. W. (2009). Domestic Violence and the Child Welfare System. Retrieved April 23, 2011, from Child Welfare Information Gateway: http://www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/domesticviolence.cfm