(no subject)

When I saw the sign-ups for 14valentines, I knew that I would pick to post on the day of Domestic Violence.

I am a victim of domestic violence. My father is and was an abusive alcoholic. It's taken years to work through most of the issues that go along with that and, more importantly, I'm still working through them.

But today's post is about more than me or even the victims that I know personally. Today is to raise awareness that anyone and anything can be a victim of domestic violence.

I've written a short story regarding one woman that was involved with a program at my work called Safe Haven. The program shelters animal victims of domestic violence while their humans seek out shelters and safe havens of their own. The first victim of domestic violence is, all too often, the family pet. By the time the cruelty is perfected on the animal, it is all too easy to turn that cruelty onto a person. Domestic violence shelters normally do not take animals, thus leaving the victim with the choice of leaving their pet alone with their abuser or staying with the abuser to protect their animal.

( the first time he hits her... )

Domestic Violence. There is no excuse for any abuse.