Chilling Moments – Woman Dragged By Her Hair!
The hair on my body stood on end and tears blinded my eyes as I watched the 6:30 p.m. ABC News on October 1, 2019. A video replayed scenes from a doorbell camera, capturing chilling moments of a woman being dragged by her hair. The anchorman reported, “Woman Pleads for Help: Ex-boyfriend Arrested.” What a way to commence October – Domestic Violence Awareness Month!
Interestingly, I arrived home that afternoon, grabbed dinner, and sat at my computer, editing my soon to be released book, River Never Smooth: Reclaiming Power After Abuse. It is not like me to watch television while I am working on the computer, but sitting there, I felt a nudge to turn the TV on. This happened twice. I yielded to that inner voice the second time, turning on the TV to not a movie, but to real life − distasteful issues of abuse and violence.
My mind drifted back to the years when I identified with that woman’s fear, pain, shame, and guilt. Had she not run out of the house, who knows what could have happened? Although some may deny it, many can associate with at least one of the varying kinds of abuse, plaguing our society today:
sexual psychological/emotional
physical spiritual
financial elder
verbal
Among the few common things this nation shares, abuse has no barrier. It is bestowed upon males or females, rich or poor, old or young, blacks or whites. Additionally, many people are in denial of abuse in their relationships. Some sweep the abuse under the carpet, while others decide to walk through that journey alone.
It is said that time heals and indeed it does, but sometimes we are unable to forget. I recall so clearly, many years ago, curling in the fetal position while shielding my face and stomach from vicious kicks from a man who was my husband. Boy! Yes, I did something stupid and even wrong, but it didn’t deserve such treatment. See More Similarly, that woman on the news could have done nothing that warranted her ex-boyfriend to drag her by her hair on the concrete.
No matter how bad it is, healing is available for the people who get up, seek help, take a stand, and with divine intervention, forgive. We know we are healed when those memories surface and it feels surreal. Many times, when I read excerpts from my book, I ask myself, Did this really happen? Thank God for healing from any situation!
It took me years to get to this point, but I am speaking out against abuse to help whomever I can. Through River Never Smooth: Reclaiming Power After Abuse, I have developed an exclusive and powerful model for finding healing. I teach with relatable and supporting examples from experience, education, research and faith. I show victims how to:
– Identify and deal with abuse, and know when to move on.
– Understand that life is filled with ups and downs but know that the treasure lies in
how we deal with the issues
– Live a life free of regrets
– Toss their pasts
– Rise above their circumstances, emerging overcomers.
If you are in an abusive relationship, or are experiencing abuse in any form, seek help TODAY! Don’t accept abuse another time!
https://www.thehotline.org/ If you are afraid your internet usage might be monitored, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233 or TTY 1−800−787−3224.