Domestic violence has become far too prevalent. The nation is reeling from the recent events in Brisbane where a young mother, Hannah Clarke, and her three beautiful, innocent, small children were doused in petrol by her abusive husband. He ambushed them in their car when on their way to school. This monster set them alight before stabbing himself, thus making sure he escaped having to account for his crimes.
Hannah had been trying to escape him for several months and this was his revenge. My thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends.
Domestic violence is horrific and this is the worst case I have heard of. What drives someone to murder their partner and especially their own children?
Domestic violence is not only physical but can also be mental and emotional abuse where the perpetrator isolates their victim from their support from friends and family.
Although the abuser is generally male, females can also be the abuser.
We have to find a way to stop this terrible merry-go-round.
Perhaps a start could be when an AVO is taken out against an abuser, there could be mandatory counselling for the abuser. If they breach the AVO or fail to undertake the counselling, a stint in gaol may be the answer.
If anyone suspects abuse of any kind is going on they must report it and the appropriate authorities, police, welfare, government, must act quickly to prevent this from ever happening again.
Save the children:
The next step is educating our children that violence and control are not the answer. If children are allowed to grow up thinking that it is all right to behave in this manner, then the problem continues to escalate. Any child showing these tendencies may need counselling as well. Children learn by watching their parents and how they behave. Bullying is happening in many of our schools and especially online and these little thugs need to be stopped before they grow into abusers or murderers themselves.
The fate of the world is in the hands of the children.
My story:
I was sexually abused at the age of 9. For several years afterwards, I was sent to spend holidays at my abuser’s house. Having been threatened, I was afraid to tell my parents so had to spend those holidays terrified to be alone in the room with just him. The holidays ceased when the wife died. Once my abuser had died, I tried to tell my mother but she just brushed it off. My father was deceased by that time, so he never had to know.
My school years were also hard. I was bullied all the time so I was always alone where possible. I found it hard to make friends and still do. I never really felt that I fit in anywhere and usually prefer my own company.
This blog is not about me. The information included is to show why I am so against abuse of any kind. This all must stop and it is up to all of us to make it so.
