I will try to get one more post between now and the end of the month; however, I just wanted to let people know that as of Sept 30, I will be leaving Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence. I have been with Next Door for 12 years and do to budget cuts I lost one of my positions and can't afford to live on 20-hrs a week. (I believe we are the only agency on this site.)

Someone will be taking over this page along with SAFE. I wish you all the best and I will always keep up the "fight" for women's rights and to end the violence!
carousall

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, that I was leaving Next Door...

It has been a real honor and privilege to have been one of the first agencies listed on this site and to have shared so much with the many readers out there.

For those who have been apart of the various groups and for those who have shared their stories...thank you: for your openness, trust, and for caring for me and each other.

I encourage all of you to continue to speak out to stop domestic violence, child abuse, and dating violence!

This group will continue, and I will check in every now and then, but there will be a new moderator. I wish you all the best!
carousall

Just wanted to say that I miss him every minute of every day, no matter what when on between us. I know that he is no longer in pain or suffering from the results of his open-heart surgery. I miss him and love him more than I ever thought possible. Rest In Pease My Sweetie! ♥

DOES ANYONE EVER COME HERE? WHY IS IT THAT THE ONLY POST I SEE ARE MINE? IS THIS TOPIC NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO SPEND A SINGLE MINUTE ON?
EVERYTIME I COME HERE, IT MAKES ME SAD TO SEE THAT I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES ENOUGH TO POST. I CAN SEE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY MEMBER HERE.
APRIL IS CHILD AWARENESS MONTH, BUT PEOPLE, IT DOESN'T JUST STOP BECAUSE APRIL IS GONE.

hello, everyone! i am a dv survivor and a peer educator at my university. does this group still exist? i am involved with many activities with our group and will post information later today. my name is sandy.

These are some Domestic Violence Awareness "tags" (graphics) that I thought I'd share with the group. One of them has my name at the bottom; others were "extras" and I snagged them from some of the same friends. Feel free to use them yourself if you like. Cryineyes, you have posted so many good ones...thank you for sharing them! I really don't know what to say otherwise; but if you have any questions for me, please don't hesitate to ask.
Hugs 2U all!

Sandy

People stay in an abusive elationship for a great many reasons. Some have children and they have been so demoralized that they have been brainwashed into thinking that they couldn't financially support themselves and their children if they left.

Fear is also a great motivator to stay. Fear is so powerful and has been used to keep others "in line" and still in the relationship.

Decision-making...That was a very hard thing for me when I first left because every decision had been made for me for so many years. I was so bad that I couldn't even choose what color blouse to buy, so I bought 1 in each of the 3 colors. I find that even after almost 7 years of freedom, I tend to buy multiples of things and if I feel pressured to make a quick decision, I do so blindly and quickly without thinking things through first.

Suicide..."I can't live without you!!! I'll kill myself if you leave me." Call 911 and walk away. You do not need to be a hostage to someone else's threats.

I was an abused child but I never, ever thought that I would stay in an abusive relationship. I always wondered why the abused person stayed in that type of relationship. My abuser was violent and he was so unpredictable that I was instantly afraid of him. He told me that if I ever got him arrested and he went to jail he would get one of his friends to put me in hospital. His father used to be a cop and I was told that if I went to a women's shelter that his father could find out where I was and come in and arrest me on false charges. He threatened to hurt my family members also.

I was so ashamed of being abused and staying that I kept things hidden. He never lost control and beat me. He planned every thing out and even went on the internet to find ways to hurt me without leaving marks. Then he became sexually aroused and did terrible things to me. He found someone else and moved on to her and left me alone.

After 9 years of his abuse and working in a very toxic workplace for 26 years, I mentally broke down. I can no longer work and I have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, paranoia, depression and panic attacks. I cannot sleep at night, I leave a light on all of the time, and I am jumpy and have a lot of anger.

I should have done something...anything...when he started to abuse me. Because I didn't, I endured 9 years of abuse. I allowed him to hurt me by staying. NO MATTER WHAT HE WOULD DO TO ME FOR LEAVING, SURELY COULDN'T HAVE BEEN WORSE THAN WHAT i WENT THROUGH!!!

The city that I live in now, has a foster pet program which is funded by the veternarians. People can take in the pet of an abused person until that person gets situated in a new place to live after they leave their abusive relationship. That is what will keep some women in a bad relationship. The vets pay for any vet care that the pet needs while you look after it. You can agree to take the pet for a certain amount of time but you have the option of returning the pet to the vet if it doesn't work out.

This is what is needed in every city. I hope that someone who reads this will consider starting up a similar program where they live.