Transitioning Times

In today’s culture and society, there seems to be a reoccurring question that comes up regarding victims/survivors of domestic violence. The question I’m referring to is “Why does she stay in an abusive relationship”? Or “Why doesn’t she just leave”? From an outsiders’ perspective, it probably looks like the easiest solution to the issues the woman is currently facing. Just leave, and it’ll all be over with, but we as advocates for domestic violence know far better than that. The society we live in has a lack of knowledge about the true dangers that come with actually leaving an abusive relationship. According to domesticabuseshelter.org, about 4,000 women die each year due to domestic violence. Of the total domestic violence homicides, about 75% of the victims were killed as they attempted to leave the relationship or after the relationship had ended. People stay in abusive relationships for many reasons. Some of those reasons include but are not limited to; fear, lack of finan...

     On September 14, 2016, this world lost one of its greatest victim advocates.  Peter Macky, warmly referred to as “Pete,” left this earth unexpectedly.  I had known of Pete almost my entire life.  He was an everyday legend in my house while growing up.   My Mom would fondly share the story of the day she met Pete to anyone looking for a chuckle. “ I met Pete in the basement of the Union County Courthouse. I was one of, if not his first case, as a legal aid attorney. It was May 1974. I was 17 and had committed an act that was considered "detrimental to the welfare of the school" and the district had removed me from the elected office as President of Student Council (for streaking no less). He defended my 1st amendment right to express myself and instilled in me a passion for defending those who cannot defend themselves.   We went on to forge a friendship that would span 42 years, serving on a number of community committees together,...