Help Prevent Child Abuse April is National Child Abuse Awareness and prevention month. It seems like every time we turn on the television there is a story of some kind of abuse. Although abuse of any kind is bad, abuse to a child is the absolute worst.Children are helpless and innocent and have no other choice but to look at their parents for protection. This subject is near to my heart because 21 years ago, my son and I were the victims of abuse. After my first marriage ended, I met a man who from all actions and appearances was thought to be the man of my dreams. In reality, he turned out to be my worst nightmare. He wined me and dined me with candlelight dinners and roses almost every day. He was very attentive to me and my son in the beginning and made us feel loved like never before. Being convinced that this was a dream come true, I compromised my spiritual beliefs and moved away with him. Very shortly after, the abuse began, first to me, then gradually to my son. One year later, he murdered my 6 year old son. Why does any woman stay in a relationship like this? The answer is for many different reasons. If you look at the statistics, in almost every case of abuse no matter how hard the person tries to get away, the abuser always finds them. Threats of violence and death to other family members are also reasons they stay. In many women's eyes its just easier to stay and take the abuse hoping that things will change, instead of taking the chance of other family members being hurt. Shame, guilt, and fear are all a big part of why women stay.One thing is for certain, it doesn't matter how much you hope things will change, only God can change a heart and that heart has to be willing to change. Many people stand in judgement saying, "I would have done differently if it had happened to me." I said the same thing years before this happened. The fact is,none of us know how we will react in any situation until we are faced with it. Unless you have walked in someone's shoes you have no right to judge. One final thought, we live our lives by the choices we make, good or bad those choices not only affect you, the affect everyone who loves you. If you know someone who is being abused, let them know you are there to help them. it could mean the difference between life and death.