Domestic Violence Month

And worst of all, being unable to protect my children from his abuse -- physical, emotional, mental. Now grown with children of their own, they say, "But, Mom, what could you have done? Nothing!" They wish, as dearly as I do, that I could have. Not protecting them from their stepfather, is a guilt I am resigned to carry.

October is Domestic Violence month -- not that every month isn't! We read the newspaper accounts, the horror stories, and we cheer when anyone makes a successful break for freedom from the oppression of a supposed loved one. That's not where the story ends. Every mother and child who are victims of domestic violence carry horrendous scars--visible and especially invisible. These are the kids who usually need years of therapy, often falling into the "special needs" classification. They carry legacies that get lugged from foster home to foster home and eventually into juvenile court.

Make a Difference

Think about filling a box with toiletries so that the refugees will have shampoo and toothpaste and brushes. Check to see if the shelter needs some carpentry help or blankets or new curtains. How about those books and magazines you'll never look at again? Oh, your community doesn't have a shelter? Believe me, it needs on.

And when October is history, domestic violence won't be. So please, help out as you can. And when you see or hear any type of domestic violence in progress, call 911. Isn't that what you'd want someone to do if you were being hurt?

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Previous guest columns written by Donna Thompson for the Alcoholism site.

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