They are both so different. I stand between two individuals who would like nothing more than to abuse the other. I stand an alien to the fume that consumes them. I am weak because I am sane, I don't have the adrenalin or the hate they both have pulsing through them. I am the barrier between these two individuals, the only thing keeping them from spilling into each other. My little sister stands five feet away crying. I yell, "Go upstairs!" She doesn't listen.
Moments like these reflect how words can be meaningless. There are four people in this room. Two of them are filled with hate, one of them filled with fear, and then there's me. I am absent in regards to my emotions at this point. I finally push the two off one another. The aftershocks hit.
I can't cry, because that would make my sister feel that much worse. I can't worry, because once I start it will consume me. I can't be happy, because the person who people see isn't really me. This was me and my life three years ago .
Nearly half of all women and men in the United States have experienced psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime (48.4% and 48.8%, respectively). Not to mention that 1 in 4 women (24.3%) and 1 in 7 men (13.8%) aged 18 and older in the United States have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Both physical and/or verbal abuse is not "normal."
Abuse happens every minute. We may not be able to stop the abusers, but we can help the victims. If you or someone you know is going through abuse, stop waiting and get the help necessary. We have one life to live, and no one has the right to take the joy out of living. (Call this number for help: 1-800-799-SAFE.)
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