n. I didn't sneak out of the house. I waited for thefather of my children to come home. I looked him in the face and told him I was leaving, and withescorts, I did so with my children and ran for three years in fear. Today, I have attained thefinancial stability to provide for my family after a long and hard road, and that far exceeds themoney my ex husband did not allow me to have in our marriage. Today, I am in a wonderful,healthy relationship that made me realize that I wasn't the problem all along as my ex husband toldme every time I was beaten bloody for offenses that were only unacceptable to him. I cannotpromise you financial success after you leave a marriage, nor will I tell you that leaving a marriageor a relationship is the right thing to do in a particular case. But I will tell you that the cycle ofviolence can end with you and with those whom you allow to help you should you find yourselftrapped in an abusive relationship. From the time I said "I do", I fell under the umbrella ofstatistics that show that a woman is battered every 15 seconds in this country. In the time it tookyou to read this, 6 women were battered in one form or another by an intimate. What happensbehind closed doors doesn't make this issue none of anyone's business, because behind thoseclosed doors could be your sister, your mother, your daughter, your friend...even you... This ishow I envision a stop in the cycle. I envision a candle that lights the way for others. I have acandle and perhaps others do as well. And that is a start, but imagine what happens when theflames of two or more candles join. Those flames shine with greater brightness and strength, yetsuffer none in their individuality. So, I have a flame and perhaps you, or someone you know has aflame. What do you want to do with them? They could mean the difference between life and deathto those who cannot yet make their voices heard. ...
