Of all the scourges visited upon society – and Lord, there are far, far too many — among the most vile and reprehensible is domestic violence. It’s utterly despicable for one human being to use his (or her) partner, or even worse, the children, as a convenient punching bag. And it isn’t any less so if the abuse never leaves a mark. Words can be just as devastating as punches and kicks, sometimes more so. If you can’t get along with your partner, you have two choices. Only two. Get help and get serious – real, real serious – about fixing the problem. Or move on. Period.
There is a term for people who aren’t in an abusive relationship, but who know about one and do nothing about it. It’s called bystander abuse. Don’t be part of the conspiracy of silence. Don’t be controlled by fear. Speak up. Take action. Make a difference.
This edition of I Hate Monday is in observance of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month.