Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Reposting an important discussion about domestic abuse

14 Comments

Nonsmoking Ladybug shared today some scary memories of her own childhood that flashed back into her memory while she watched this powerful dance number which aired on America’s Got Talent.

Take a moment and go over there and watch, though be warned it may be a trigger.

https://nonsmokingladybug.wordpress.com/2024/04/20/something-so-beautiful-and-so-powerful

While I don’t have personal memories like this, I know people, all women, who do. Some are still experiencing these events today.

A dance like this will spark conversations. Hard, outraged, sad conversations. It’s likely any one conversation will cover all these emotions and more.

But beyond discussing, what can we do?

I don’t have any experience in what to do. But I’ve been reading Kim Sisto Robinsin at My Inner Chick on Facebook for years. Kim’s brother-in-law murdered her sister Kay after years of abuse as Kay was attempting to leave him.

Now it’s Kim’s mission to spread the word that help is available.

I know, from reading, that it’s not as simple as just leaving. You need a plan and a support system. And it’s very scary. But the first step might just be talking to someone.

Here is one place to start: National Hotline for Domestic Abuse: 1 800 799 7233

Now, go watch that dance again and try not to cry. I had my support dog, Penny, with me. She pushed her nose right under my arm and pressed her body next to my hip as I sniffled.

May you all have a Penny in your life. And may you all be safe in your worlds tonight.

Author: dawnkinster

I'm a long time banker having worked in banks since the age of 17. I took a break when I turned 50 and went back to school. I graduated right when the economy took a turn for the worst and after a year of library work found myself unemployed. I was lucky that my previous bank employer wanted me back. So here I am again, a long time banker. Change is hard.

14 thoughts on “Reposting an important discussion about domestic abuse

  1. This did create flashbacks, however the dance is perfect and makes it so no one can be in denial about what it is like, and it makes it SO much harder for the I would have done….or you should have….you’re weak what’s wrong with you stuff that comes to mind in others—to put a safer boundary from a hard reality they themselves have no idea how to cope with. Thanks for sharing this, I’m going to do some self care now till the fear passes.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Elisa, I’m sorry you went through those bad times. I’m glad you can share about it because maybe it will help someone else in a similar situation.  I hope your self care worked and that you’re back in a happy place. Thank you for visiting the blog! I appreciate your strength! Also sending you a hug.

      Like

  2. wow, just wow! Major goosebumps. This is definitely a problem that is too prevalent and leaves forever scars.

    Like

    • Isn’t that the truth! And it seems to be an ongoing issue in our society, you’d think this, like racism would be somehow repugnant to people and no longer a thing. But sadly we don’t seem to have grown so much at all since ‘those days.’

      Like

  3. I had the same look on my face as the women judges … a little bit of horror.

    Like

    • I probably did too. I watched it twice, was just as shocked the second time.

      Liked by 1 person

      • I had a co-worker many years ago that was living with a guy that beat her up all the time, which I knew nothing about until one day I saw a big bruise on the side of her face and asked if she had had an accident over the weekend. “No” she said and went on about how her father had beaten her mother up, so she didn’t think anything about the abuse. I didn’t care for the guy (though I had never met him) and she was engaged to him. I thought if he beats you now, he’ll continue. She invited me to the wedding. I went to the church to see the marriage, but had impacted wisdom teeth removed the day before and didn’t go to the reception. They divorced a few years later.

        Like

  4. Well, that hit close to home … from my childhood, from my father. I got tons of help after 20 years of abuse, and worked through it . Mostly. But we women (and frankly some men too who were abused, one really good guy friend of mine from his father too) … we never do work through it completely. Why do men do this? What can we all do to stop it? Why do men do this?

    Like

    • I think some men have so little self value that they try to find it by dominating others, mostly women, but also some men (there are also women who abuse men). I think these abusers are really worthless humans and they know it. Which must be a horrible feeling, but no excuse for the abuse.

      Like

  5. Wow. That was really hard to watch, but their ability to tell a story through dance was incredible. My heart aches for people who have had to live in fear of the person they love.

    Like

    • Yes it was very hard to watch. But when I saw it over on Nonsmoking Ladybug’s blog I had to share it. It’s very powerful. It’s hard for me to really imagine living like that, yet there’s just enough truth in it to make me realize how lucky I have been all my life. And that there should be something even I an do to help. Probably, given my lack of experience, how I can help is financially support the agencies and organizations that know what they’re doing and can make a difference.

      Like

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.