well, here we are about to burst into 2024. I’ve been working in the fields of domestic violence and trauma for over 50 years. if the new year is a time to reflect, then it seems for every step forward we take one back. 

Yes, we have better laws, generally, about domestic violence. But, too often, those laws get turned around against victims. I work on dozens of cases each year where a woman was abused by her husband for years, then, when she finally fights back to defend herself, he calls the cops on her, and she gets arrested. She often then gets a restraining order against her sonshe can’t see the kids or return home, leaving her with nothing. Just like he always threatened By the time it’s all sorted out, her life is in ruins. 

We have also severely let down the girls on our college campuses. A very high number of rapes occur during those first few months a girl is on campus. And the way that system works (if she reports at all) is set up to protect the perpetrator. She is left shattered and he continues on campus as if nothing happened.

We’ve had some pretty high profile cases. Would Gabrielle Petito be alive if the police who responded to the domestic violence call had handled it appropriately? 

We are living in difficult times, interpersonally and globally. wars rage on in Ukraine and the Middle East. Wars are always filled with atrocities.

I hope for peace in the war torn countries.

I hope for peace in our families.

Happy New Year