Designed Sustainability

Once upon a time, I dated a guy who thought that the best way to show me that he was upset about something was to throw vases and occassionally hit me.  Yeah, not cool.  I left, and we never spoke again.

But not every woman is as lucky as I was.  Not every woman has the strength and support of her friends and family to walk away and never look back.  Not every woman is in the same situation, where there are no legal or familial ties with her abuser, where there are no children or assets shared.  Not every woman can walk away, because sometimes, they love who their abuser used to be, before the abuse began.

Organizations like Women Helping Battered Women, based in Chittenden County, Vermont, assist victims of abuse.  Women and children in abusive relationships - marriages, dating, parental - can call or visit the center for the help they need to leave the relationship and break the cycle of abuse.

So reach out and help yourself, your family member, your neighbor, or your friend.  Direct them to shelters and help centers that can give them the aid that they need to save themselves and their futures.  The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, among others, is a good place to start.

Women Helping Battered Women

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Women Are Dreamers, Too