Our New Year Started with the Wrong Kind of Bang

I was sitting at my computer earlier, well after midnight. It was maybe about 2 - 2:30am. All of a sudden, my oldest daughter ran in here crying, saying to call the police. Apparently, our neighbors were fighting again. We live in a townhouse, and only a wall separates part of our unit from theirs. I took Ash at her word that it was bad, and made the call.

I went up to her room. The neighbors were fighting just on the other side of the wall. You could HEAR him beating her, and hear her screaming. Then, when the police showed up (SEVEN cars), they of course wouldn’t come to the door. The police first asked us to go listen at the wall again. We could hear her screaming to let her go, to answer the door. He of course was holding her basically “hostage”.

I reported to the police. They asked me to call and wake up the owner of the building, and one of the officers went upstairs to listen himself. Just as I hang up with the owner’s permission for the police to break in (he was on his way here)… the cop came rushing down my stairs. He said “That’s it… we’re going in”.

They busted the door in and arrested the guy. She went to the hospital. He had not only beaten her, but also raped her. She has some broken bones, and was pretty messed up. The WORST part of the whole thing is that I found out what the neighbor guy does for a living. He’s a freaking city police officer. When it was over and the officers came to take our statements, one said “I apologize on behalf of the entire department”. I got severely angry. It’s bad enough for a man to be a woman abuser and rapist… but a COP?!?! A man who is sworn to uphold the law? I KNOW that there are so-called “crooked cops”, but man. I just never saw it in my own back yard, so to speak.

I was married for seven years to an abusive man, who did all of these things to me and more. I KNOW what it’s like. I wanted so badly to go over there, and just put my arms around the woman, even though I don’t know her. This isn’t the first time he’s done it. I sincerely pray it is the last. I hope she finds the strength to keep him out for good. I know all too well how hard that is. I know what it’s like to believe them when they say they’ll kill you (or your child) if you leave. I know what it’s like to believe you’re worthless, and can’t do any better… or make a life for your kids without them. I pray that she can find the light, and find her way out of that darkness.

To all of my friends and readers… I wish you a Happy New Year, full of health and happiness. I would also like to ask of you all a personal favor. If you know someone who is being abused, PLEASE don’t stay silent, and think it isn’t your place to interfere. You could be saving someone’s life by speaking up.