| The excuses come in all shapes and sizes: | | | | done. |
| He just had a bad day at work. | | | | The problem is scores of domestic abuse victims |
| He has got so much pressure on him. | | | | past, present and future do not report it because |
| He lost his job. | | | | they cannot bring themselves to have their husband |
| He gets like that every now and then when he goes | | | | or boyfriend arrested. With many it is the |
| out with the boys. | | | | embarrassment of having people find out what is |
| I shouldn't have said what I said. | | | | going on within the relationship. |
| I shouldn't have did what I did. | | | | Yet with many others it is love. They are more than |
| Oh that's just the way he is. | | | | willing to use the excuses listed above or invent |
| The list is endless. And all the while many women | | | | countless others to shield their significant other from |
| who are or have been victims of domestic violence | | | | the police. |
| keep telling themselves one thing. The men doing the | | | | As tough as this is to accept that of course is their |
| abusing really do love them. | | | | prerogative. However what countless domestic |
| According to The Journal of the American Medical | | | | violence victims fail to understand is the love they |
| Association it is estimated that somewhere between | | | | have for their partner is not being reciprocated. |
| two and four million women living in the United States | | | | Having a bad day or one too many drinks then |
| are assaulted by a domestic partner every year. | | | | physically assaulting you is not love. Nor is apologizing |
| What makes it even worse? Only about twenty five | | | | ten thousand times after it is over and vowing to |
| percent of these crimes ever get reported to law | | | | never do it again. |
| enforcement. A survey done by the organization | | | | We all have bad days but that doesn't mean we go |
| National Violence Against Women a few years back | | | | out and physically abuse someone; particularly |
| spells it out, "The majority of victims who did not | | | | someone we have vowed to love for better or |
| report [domestic violence] thought the police would | | | | worse. To the victim of domestic abuse letting a |
| not or could not do anything for them." | | | | violent partner hide behind the countless excuses |
| Are they right? The answer varies from one | | | | may be a way of showing love. To the abuser it |
| municipality to the other. But one thing is certain, not | | | | means you are handing them complete power and |
| reporting domestic abuse guarantees nothing will get | | | | total control. That's a gift no one should ever have. |