Speaking Out

Today across the world we are speaking out against Domestic Violence.
It is not okay.
Never

Domestic Violence is an area of life which I can only speak out against third hand. I was blessed to be raised in a non-violent home. Sure we were disciplined, but it was with a loving hand and heart. My parents ( hi Mum and Dad !) may have argued sometimes as we all do, but there was never fear in our home.
What I have experienced is the difficulty in building a relationship with a person who has the scars of violence on their heart from childhood.

I know the fear and mistrust that person has in his own parenting.
I know how impossible he finds it to discipline our kids at all, as he doesn't trust himself to know the boundary line.
I know the frustration he feels that even 30 years later, some people refuse to acknowledge what was.
I know his vow to me that such things would never ever happen in our home.
I know the effort it must take for him to not react with that early learned behaviour when I am being a crazy bitch.
I know how broken his relationship is with a member of his family, and how he has hardened himself against them in self preservation.
I know that even though the scars have faded, they are still there. Forever.

It is time to once and for all, say No to Domestic Violence.
It's not okay to hit, to push, to slap or kick.
It's not okay to bully, to demean, to belittle or humiliate.
It's not okay to scream, to call names, to threaten or intimidate.
It's not okay to rape.

If you are in this situation, please seek help. Speak to a friend, a doctor, a help line, a women's shelter. Talk to your pastor, your chemist, talk to the bus driver. Tell someone. Keep telling until you are heard. Email me and together we will find help.

And thank you to the man I married, for being a man, for choosing differently for our family, and for breaking the cycle. I love you. 

If you want to learn more and do your part to help, please visit the White Ribbon Day website. November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, please do what you can to help the lives of many. Together we can make a difference and break the cycle. 

If you're in Australia, start here with some links: Reach Out

We've spoken out!

1.	Tat- Mum in Search	33.	Vienna for Dummies
2.	November 18th; Speak Out, Share and Support	34.	Communication Stops Bullies
3.	A Field of Dreams	35.	Mumma K
4.	So Now What? - My Normal	36.	Jayne
5.	London City Mum	37.	Samantha Mawdsley
6.	Wanderlust - Resilience	38.	Karen - MomAgain@40 - Reasons why should not stay
7.	Vegemitevix	39.	Lady Daa Doo
8.	Mother's Love Letters	40.	Achelois
9.	A litte girls cry - The Mummy Autobiography	41.	Very Bored in Catalunya
10.	Shaking off the shame	42.	Speaking out
11.	No physical scars	43.	Nightwolf's Den
12.	Kate - Shout	44.	Jenn @ Wine-n-Chat
13.	Domestic violence without the violence {KatieP}	45.	The Dawnie Project
14.	Suzanne Grae for White Ribbon Day via stylingyou	46.	Cindy
15.	His head in his hands...	47.	liliacspring
16.	Never Happened to Me ...	48.	Likes to Write
17.	FYBF - The Speak Out Edition!	49.	Bloggertropolis
18.	Glen's Life	50.	fly in the web
19.	Not all abuse leaves a bruise	51.	Scott aka This Daddy
20.	Big fat no-no	52.	Suko's Notebook
21.	Kissing Frigs	53.	Chibi Jeebs
22.	Speaking out today and everyday!	54.	Heather
23.	No more.	55.	Amy @LLA_Princess
24.	I forgot your birthday	56.	Annie Dickens
25.	Lisa	57.	Jeane at Our Daily Escape
26.	Speaking Out and Reaching Out - Nothing Too Fancy	58.	a pastiche - speak
27.	MummyTime - Speak Out	59.	A Dose of Dannie
28.	Bee	60.	A Brave Escape - A Guest Post
29.	Kathy @ PlayEatLearnLive	61.	Steve
30.	Be Their Safety Net - Diane Reiter	62.	Little Aussie Travellers Speak Out
31.	Speak out otherwise nobody knows	63.	Emerging from Broken
32.	Speak Out - Good, Bad & Unnecessary	64.	Maid in Australia

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