Domestic Violence: One Woman's Nightmare

"Let me start by telling you that I never thought it would happen to me but, unlike so many women out there, I decided to do something about it." Susan R. Murphy describes her experiences of domestic violence, starting with her own background and upbringing, the parental guidance that would influence her views of life and love. She recalls her early dating experiences, how she came to meet the man whom she would later marry and set up home, and where all that would lead. It is a tale that she tells with candor and vividness as the dark storms unravel, turning her family and home environment from one of relative comfort, to one that she had to flee, as aggression turned to actual violence. Like so many women in her situation, she felt as if she had nowhere to go but in her hour of need, help arrived. She entered a Battered Women's Shelter and commenced a program that would see her get her life back on track. When she left the shelter, upon completion of the program, it was with a mixture of pride and sadness that she was able to observe: "Out of all the women in the shelter, myself and one other woman were the only ones who left and started new lives. The rest of the women all went back to their abusive partners." This is a story that is positive and life affirming for the manner in which it shows how experiences like these can be overcome; that the simple act of confronting an adverse situation can of itself become a source of strength.