Thursday, September 25, 2008

Is Sorry Really The Hardest Word?

There was a song when I was growing up titled, "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word". And I guess some people do find it hard to say they're sorry. But in a domestic violent situation, victims are always apologized to and promised that things will get better.

That's the abuse cycle. Sadly hundreds of thousands of girls, women, and even men, fall prey to this vicious cycle every year. Some abuse victims may be fortunate enough to escape if they get out early, others may have stayed a little longer and faced more pain and heartache, but my heart really cries to speak out for those who never had a chance to escape--the martyrs of domestic abuse--these are the ones have given their lives for the rest of us to learn a harsh lesson--GET OUT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

I lived with a man who nearly killed me. Thankfully I was able to escape from that relationship before it was too late. But I know someone who waited a bit too long to get out of an abusive relationship. Her name is Susan Crim. Susan's truly my hero! So in honor of Domestic Abuse Violence Awareness Month, I wrote a story about her on my website: (Read Her Story click on the "what's new" link.)

Don't wait until this happens to you--Get Out Before It's Too Late!

What you can do if you're in an abusive relationship:

-Report The Abuse
-Get Help & Make A Safety Action Plan Of Escape
-Contact a friend or family member
-Call 1-800-GET SAFE
-Don't return to the abusive situation once you get away
-Don't fall into the repetitive cycle of them saying their sorry
-Take care of yourself and change your lifestyle so you won't be a magnet for abusers in the future--counseling will help
-Forgiving your abuser is a must (holding unforgiveness only makes the victim feel worse), but that does not mean taking them back or putting up with more abuse!