I’ve mentioned in previous blogs how certain dates haunt me. I don’t know if all abuse survivors are like this, but one of my coping mechanisms while I was being attacked was to focus on counting syllables on my fingers to distract me from what was going on. While this method served its purpose for … Continue reading
Two years ago today I was found not guilty of murder. After a childhood of severe abuse at the hands of our father, my brother snapped and killed our parents. He then, for reasons I’ll never understand, accused me of helping him. Many dates, in this saga, have special meaning for me but today is … Continue reading
Many times when I walk down the street, through the mall, or see people in a store, I don’t see them: I look for sad expressions, bruises, sores, or even casts on their bodies from injuries. I never look at anyone without looking for injuries or trying to read their faces to see if they … Continue reading
Unless you’ve been abused, it’s difficult to understand how seemingly minor things can trigger an extreme emotional reaction in a survivor. For me, certain dates and interactions with people can set off those triggers: any anniversary date, a birthday, a date of someone’s death, a date that is attached to a horrific abusive event—all of … Continue reading
Some folks have a hard time with the December holidays because they live alone and they mourn the loss of their sweet childhood memories of Santa, Christmas carols and family togetherness. For those of us who lived an abusive childhood, “getting through the holidays” means something different. It means reliving some of our most awful … Continue reading
Sunday’s Dear Abby column included a letter from a mother who was concerned that her daughter and future grandchild are involved with a violent man. I can tell that Abby has no experience with this kind of thing, because I would have offered different advice. The letter writer said that an officer called last winter … Continue reading
Texas Judge William Adams presides over child abuse cases, making decisions about families that need protection from their abuser(s). Recently, Judge Adams’ daughter Hillary Adams posted a video on YouTube that shows her father lashing her with a belt and trying to force her to bend over her bed to be beaten despite her wails and … Continue reading
