Happy Anniversary to Let Life Happen

TweetSo, you have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time and you are facing a double mastectomy and reconstruction along with a parathyroid/thyroid surgery at some point.  What do you do?  Yes, I did go to Disneyland. But, if you are me and you have the most supportive and awesome husband imaginable, [...]

Inside the Mind of A Domestic Abuse Survivor

TweetI am not who you think I am.  If you know that I am a domestic abuse survivor, you most likely think that I am weak and stupid for getting myself into such a situation in the first place and for staying as long as I did.  Most likely, you view me as a victim, [...]

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

TweetI just learned yesterday that October has been designated as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  This started my thinking about this major epidemic that seems to be growing worldwide and what I might be able to do in order to help to find a solution to this problem.  And after hours of pondering this matter, I [...]

Jury Duty for Abuse Survivors

TweetI have been summoned to jury duty in a criminal court tomorrow and I must say that I am deeply disturbed by this.  I am one who takes my civic duty very seriously so I never considered not going.  However, I know that I would never be able to actually serve on a jury that [...]

If You Know Abuse…

Tweet…then this message is for you.  I do not remember any time in the past that I have heard so many stories about abuse that angered me.  My anger is not at the abusers this time however but for those who are being or have been abused.  The idea that we are “survivors” is no [...]

Domestic Abuse and Substance Abuse

TweetAs I read more and more stories about domestic abuse and talk to more and more people who are domestic abuse survivors or currently living in an abusive situation, I have found a common factor in all of them and that is that the abuser also abuses one or more substances.  Now, I am not [...]

Facing The Barrels Of A Shotgun

TweetI have long tried to explain to others what it is like to be in a domestic violence situation and why it is so hard to get out.  I have tried to figure out how we get ourselves into such situations in the first place.  And I have always emphasized how important it is to [...]

Domestic Violence Victim Gets Jailed for Lying About Beating

TweetIn one of the most horrible miscarriages of justice that I have ever heard, a woman was sentenced to 365 days in jail for lying about being beaten by her boyfriend.  The full story is attached for your own reading and thoughts.  To make a long story short, a tape of an interview with the [...]

Dating After Domestic Violence

TweetI received a very interesting inquiry from a friend this week that has served as the topic for this week’s blog.  It is quoted, as follows:  “Do you have any tips or pointers for someone who begins dating after leaving a DV marriage?  Before my DV marriage, I had several non-violent relationships. The DV guy [...]

Domestic Violence – After I Left

Tweet I am honored by all of the responses that I received from a lot of really strong, courageous women who took on the fight and got out of their abusive situations no matter what the cost to them.  I think that there is one aspect left to discuss before moving on to another subject [...]