Domestic Violence: Behind Closed Doors

Domestic Violence: Behind Closed Doors

Our mission at Sure Woman is to raise the spirits of all women and offer them sincere words of celebration and encouragement. • This section is dedicated to women in abusive relationships and women who've found the courage to leave and are able to share their struggles & celebrate their spirit•Originally published in an African American online magazine, these painful stories remind us of the dark side of the woman struggle and confirm the power and resilience of the human spirit.• •

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7223(SAFE)

Domestic Violence Series - The Series

Behind Closed Doors: A Close-up Look at Domestic Violence is a series (originally published in an online African American Magazine) that takes a close-up look at the problem; why women stay and the effects; children & domestic violence and teenage dating violence; finding the courage to leave and finding help and services. Susan Milano-Murphy, nationally recognized relationship expert lends her insight to this Behind Closed Doors epidemic.

Behind Closed Doors - An Epedimic Jade’s jaw is wired shut after her common-law husband used his fist to break her jaw in two places. The time before that he pushed her to the ground and repeatedly kicked her. That time she ran to a neighbor who called police and she declined to press charges. After the wire is removed from her jaw, she will lie to her co-workers about her absence—just like the last time. He will make promises that it won't happen again and she will take him back—just like the last time. Her sister is afraid that he will kill her—the next time. More

Women's Stories - Imagine after years of emotional and psychological abuse, on the day of your divorce your ex-husband holds you captive, asking: Do you want him to strangle you or cut you up into little pieces? You convince him to give you medication to die a painless death and you escape the next day. Two weeks later—after you come out of hiding—on a bright, sunny day, he stalks you at work and shoots you five times— More

Why Women Stay - Often said in a tone of blame, “Why doesn’t she leave?” is the question asked most frequently by those trying to understand why women stay in abusive relationships. More

Effect of DV - Abuse goes to the core of a woman and destroys from the inside, stripping away her self-worth and a sense of who she is. Every blow or harsh word cuts to her soul and diminishes her spirit. Domestic violence destroys a woman’s self-image the more she’s subjected to violence against her body and spirit. These are the scars you don’t see. More

The Courage To Leave - For Teresa Brouwer, the inkling that she needed to get out of her abusive relationship started when she went to college and realized that there was something better out there for her and her 3 girls. But the moment of truth came the day her alcoholic husband passed out drunk in front of her daughter. More

Finding Help - omen need to feel confident that there are places they can turn to for support that isn’t only an over-night or a band-aid solution once they leave an abusive relationship. A woman will leave an average of 7 times (WRAP), but she may end up returning because there is a lack of support outside of the relationship, or services aren’t available. More

Room Fopr Improvement - W hile Monica welcomes the much-needed programs aimed at improving and cutting red tape, she feels that there is room for improvement in other areas of awareness and sensitivity. “Not enough education is being taught to our younger people about this matter in our public schools and religious organizations…” More

Children and Domestic Violence - “As I’d lay there in my bed waiting for the time to come for me to go in the kitchen, pick my mother up off the floor and wipe the blood from her face, I’d always wonder if she’d still be breathing when I got there. Quiet. Did he stab her this time? Did he shoot her?” More

Teenage Dating Violence - And if he likes me, what does it matter if he strikes me. I’ll fetch his paper with my arm in a sling, just for the privilege of wearing his ring.” –Fiore, 1959 Broadway Musical More More

Interviews With Women - The woman in these interviews consented to be interviewed for The Domestic Violence Series. Domestic Violence is a complex subject and since space is always a factor, alot of what these women had to say never made it into the articles. These striking interviews are presented in their entirity as these woman speak from the heart and a position of strength and sometimes, vulnerablitly about their experiences and their healing. Read the Entire Transcript of each interview by clicking on the right side of the page.