I am only 18 years old, however, I have been through a lot more than many people. After moving around so much and meeting so many people, I have come to realize that I am not the only one who has been or is a victim of domestic violence. My one question is, with all of the current issues in today's society, why is domestic violence pushed aside in the minds of those who are not involved in it?
All my life, I've been a victim of domestic violence. Beginning with my biological father, the pattern didn't change after my mother remarried. Whenever I was a "bad little girl", I would be beaten by my stepfather with no help from anyone. My mother was the only one who witnessed these events, however, she made no attempt to comfort me or keep him from doing it again. Living in fear, I began to runaway whenever the attacks would start. My mother attempted to report me as a runaway three different times. Only once, did someone listen to my story. However, it didn't make a difference. In the eyes of my family and everyone else around, my stepfather was the greatest guy my mother could have married. Every time I reached out to someone close to me, they told me that I should try to get along with my stepfather and stop causing conflict between us. I eventually was kicked out and now I am looked at as the one in the wrong. Even after a DCFS charge was made against my stepfather, nothing happened. Both my stepfather and my mother told the case worker that nothing happened. I arrived at school one morning after no sleep and a night of the beatings. My friends were extremely worried for me so I told them what had happened. I had 8 inch bruises on my upper back and smaller bruises up and down my arms. Of course the school board was forced to call DCFS. At first, after talking to the case worker, I thought the beatings would end and everything would go back to normal. Once she met my parents, she fell right into their trap. My word against there's. They convinced the case worker that I had done it to myself. Everyone believed that I did it to myself. After going through my biological father and stepfather, the domestic violence started with numerous boyfriends.
So why must anyone go through this? No one should. No one wants to. Something should be done to deal with domestic violence. How heartless can people be? Domestic Violence should be put closer to the top of the list and not pushed in the back of everyones minds. If you suspect someone to be the victim of domestic violence, speak up and say something. Don't sit back and watch. Don't be afraid. Stand up.
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I thought the victims could report abuse to the police themselves. That's what I've been taught anyway.
I did that. I went to the county sherrifs station and nothing was done. They told me I was being a rebelious teen and that I should go home.
There is absolutley no logical reason why this issue is not pursued on a higher level. The only thing that i can think of is that the people who COULD make a difference and make stricter laws, are the ones who havent witnessed or experience domestic violence. It's not roght, and it's not fair. I have never been a victim, but i have been a witness to my mother being beaten, and I can only imagine how much worse it felt for her than it did for me. God bless you and it feels good to know that people do come out of this and move on with their lives.