She walked in my front door, a petite female, a reluctant smile. She was here for an interview arranged with the Partnership Against Domestic Violence agency. We held hands for a moment. Her eyes softened. She had been the victim of violence. I offered her some coffee. She seemed docile. I wanted to know how women handle being battered. Her name is Jane Doe. My wife sat with us.
Jane put up with it for too many years, intimacy each night as soon as he arrived home. “I don’t feel well.” Slap! “I am tired tonight.” Smack! Physical and emotional abuse! Ultimately, she’d acquiesce to his demand. He flexed his biceps to demonstrate who was boss. I could see that the woman was hesitant, embarrassed, struggling to talk about terrifying experiences.
Ex-cop, a few years older, he developed a jealous rage when noticing one of her former classmates hugged her at the school party. In the last days of the travesty she sat one night with an unloaded pistol, staring out a window at a flashing red light on a radio tower, and pulling the trigger every time the light flashed; click-click-click-click. She was prepared to end her ordeal.
About the time he was due home she put a shell in the gun and waited, afraid, but determined. A knock on her bedroom door by a daughter probably saved his life. I saw the woman break down into tears as she related that desperate moment.
The man was arrested and still has six years to serve in prison.
Jane Doe is now embarked on a campaign to advise other victims of domestic violence to make a decision to get out of the relationship/marriage, get help because bullies will brutalize, apologize, brutalize, apologize; they are troubled with no respect for women. Jane said she stayed with him because of his convincing threats.
Since being involved with PADV Jane Doe obtained her GED, has a part-time job and will be on her own soon. With our interview done I was impressed with the lady’s determination to succeed in life.
If you are in need of a safe and confidential haven and have no place to stay you can find help by calling crisis numbers; 404-873-1766 in Fulton County or 770 963 9799 in Gwinnett County. If you are a Georgia resident you can call 1-800-33(HAVEN) 42836. If a non-resident of Georgia you should call 800-621 (HOPE) 4673.
For information on PADV go to info@padv.org
Bill York has lived in Stone Mountain for 35 years. Email him at sioux2222@gmail.com.
