My course today

Today i left you kiddies with ur dad, whilst i went and did my course in telephone counselling.

Today's topic was domestic violence.
This was the hardest topic Ive dealt with so far. The thing that really effected me with this section of the course is, they showed a case of Domestic Violence between a 16yr old teenage Girl and a 18yr old Man in Benella Australia.
It was described that when they started dating they became inseparable. He was older and didn't go to school like her, so he always met her before school, after school, before work and after work. They became 'meshed' together to the point they where almost seen as one.
The domestic violence was reported as starting off slowly, with one day the young man yelling at her in front of school, this quickly over time escalated to frequent verbal abuse and isolation to the point she never saw her friends unless he was their.
All her friends noticed the difference in her and noticed the abuse, but didn't know what they could do, could they help, was it abuse?
One day they where at her house and the neighbours heard screaming and went over to investigate. Approaching the front door the young teenager came running out screaming "he's hitting me help, help he's hitting me!" The Male neighbour went to go inside when the boyfriend came out and with out speaking a word, punched the neighbour in the mouth fracturing his jaw. No charges where laid, and their where no repercussions for the boyfriend.
Upon that event happening, it was told that the young teenager broke up with the boyfriend, but he kept following her and trying to persuade her to come back.
One night he persuaded her to go to the local park to talk. The talk turned into argument when she refused to take him back.
He responded with violence.
In a interview later given to the police by him, he firstly punched her in the face and knocked her to the ground. He then repeatedly bashed the back of her head on to a metal seat until her skull turned to jelly. After she passed out, he then repeatedly stamped on her face fracturing it. Even the nurses and doctors were astonished with the extent of her injuries.
He then left her for dead in the park.
A passerby alerted the police and she was flown to Melbourne hospital. She was barely alive. She remained in a coma for 3 weeks. When her eyes opened, she remained in a vegetable state(non responsive) for a further 3 weeks, to which the doctors could only put down to the experience was so traumatic she was still in shock.
When she did become responsive it was discovered she was permanently brain damaged.
She had to learn how to eat, walk and communicate (not talk, she could no longer talk).
She was 16 and he was 18.
This was meant to be love.
The parents noticed the warning signs and didn't know what to do. Hers friends noticed and didn't know what to do. If that neighbour had of reported and had the boyfriend charged, would the outcome of been different?
This scares the absolute crap out of me. I never ever want to think that my girls would ever be in this position. So i think that's why I am including this in the family blog.
I'm typing this for you to one day read.
It is your RIGHT to feel safe!
No one should ever yell at you to intimidate you, even a man that says he loves you.
That is not love, that Domestic Abuse.
A man should never control you and isolate you from your friends.
A man should never HIT you or force himself on you regardless if your in a relationship.
And more importantly, i hope that you girls read this and recognize the signs of domestic violence, and please do something about it!
You should NEVER have to make EXCUSES or take blame for why he yelled at you, or slapped you.
Most of all, i hope that you can come to me or your dad in any circumstance and we will never judge you, but we will support you and give you the tools to help yourself, or help you directly if that's what you want.
We will love you forever and ever girls xx