Thru The Eyes Of A Child

Growing up in a household of Domestic Violence is traumatic, lonely, heartbreaking and forever changes the person you are and who you become.

My step-father would regularly drag my mother down the hall, beating her head from one side to the other, calling her vial names. The hall ended at my bedroom door. I heard all saw the brunt of her pain.

One evening after he was drinking heavily again, he dragged her down the hall, only this time when they stopped at my bedroom door I heard her begging for her life. I peeked out the door carefully and found he had a knife to her throat. I knew he was going to kill her. Then what?

I ran away that night, I was nine years old. That’s more than a child can handle. I went to my boyfriend’s house across town and told his parents what happened. Of course, they had to call my mother after I calmed down. I received a beating for that before we even turned the corner.

I was also emotionally and physically abused by my mother and stepfather which added my train wreck of a life.

It took years of therapy and medication for me to clearly see I was not to blame and even longer to grieve for the little girl whose childhood was ripped away piece by piece.

It was almost 20 years later before my brother had to pull a gun on my step-father to make him leave while beating my mother. 

Here are a few organizations that can help:

Joyful Heart Foundation   joyfulheartfoundation.org

RAINN.org  has provided support to the National Assault Hotline for since 1994 Many other services are provided and available in English & Spanish

National Domestic Hotline Resources/Support  24/7  1-800-799-7233   Live Chat Daily from 7am-2am Central Standard Time  1-800-787-3224

No More NoMore.org

If you’re in a Domestic relationship that is violent, have a plan for the day you need to leave and only tell the most trusted person where you are. Get a new cell phone and don’t use joint credit cards. Get as far away as you can and take your children.

Keep your eyes and ears open, most importantly look at the children, their actions and remember the eyes can tell you everything.

Melinda