NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH As most of you know its National Domestic Violence Awareness month. If you've made it to my page then you already know that this subject is close to my heart because I lost my 6 year old son to domestic violence 22 years ago. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about my son, and I want to do everything I can to reach women and anyone else who's life is or has been touched by domestic violence. One of the most frustrating things to me is it seems so many people seem to sit in judgement of someone who stays with an abusive person, criticizes, or I've even known some who just flat out disowned their daughters because they refused to leave an abuser. I've also heard many people say, "I would have done this, or I would have done that if it had been me." The fact is no one actually knows how they will act until they have walked in that person's shoes. Everybody was created different, we all have different personalities, were raised different and handle situations differently. I said many years ago that I would never let a man beat on me and now I've written a book sharing my story of abuse. What I want people to realize is, you don't know who you're sitting or standing next too so many times and what they are going through or have been through for that matter. The legal system is the same way, they criticize and judge women who won't press charge's against an abuser, not giving any thought to the fact that the abuser has probably threatened them with death to loved ones or themselves. In my case my ex-husband had been arrested for wife abuse, child abuse and suspected of killing 2 other children other than mine. He was arrested for numerous DWI'S and was driving without a drivers license during the time I knew him because of DWI'S. They kept letting him go because he was what they called a good ole boy who just couldn't stay out of trouble. Well if the law had done their job and tried to learn about domestic violence, and take steps to help make people aware of what to look for, while at the same time taking men like my ex-husband off the streets, I would have never met him and my son would still be alive today. Its important to realize there are more kinds of abuse than just physical. There is emotional abuse, verbal abuse, sexual abuse, and mental abuse. No matter how you slice it, its all abuse and it needs to be stopped. Please help me make people aware of the importance of getting out, telling somebody, or making sure you take your time and get to really know a person before you become so emotionally attached. I am having a book-signing the 24th of this month at the Corner Coffee House in West Monroe. If you would like more information, would like a copy of my book or just need to talk, I will be there from 11:00 am till 2:00 pm. God bless.