What this woman is going through -- what many of you women have gone through -- makes me incredibly sad that you have lived through such pain and fear because of horrible nasty people.


And then I think of these horrible men, and mostly I just want to kill them.

Wow Chatty. Let me think of a way to present your solution to her. The sad thing is, she's an attorney, a smart cookie but with his power, he knows every job interview she's going to and calls them to tell the firm they should not hire her! You're right, he needs to be stopped and now! Let me think on this.

One of the problems with victims is PTSD, which comes in waves and causes emotional paralysis. They have to sleep in a room with the television on, try to not go into deep sleep patterns because of the horrible nightmares, become suicidal and unable to think clearly. And, they have horrible flashbacks. I only suffered from one flashback and it was so real, I can't even describe it! It's amazing what the brain does. Or maybe I should say, what abuse does.

She called me late yesterday and is slowly doing better. I attribute this to your prayers and I thank you with all of my heart. Bless you.

P.S.

Meredith, it was the pain that I went through that finally brought me to my mission in life. Am I thankful I was abused? No! But I'll always be thankful that the pain took me to a place of finding help, getting well and trying to help other battered women. When I look at it that way, maybe the jerk-wad did me a favor.

What he is left with (as far as I know) is looking at himself in the mirror. Victims always think that these guys just go merrily on their way and don't suffer from anything but I know that isn't true. We can hide from a lot of things but not from ourselves! In the very end, I looked at him and told him how sick he was and he hung his head and said, "I know it." There you go!

Jane Doe is doing much better. She's kicked into high gear. She is starting a new foundation and is producing a PSA for television. In it, she will be in the middle, surrounded by powerful women who want to end domestic violence. Since her stalker lives in the tv viewing area, he's going to see her and know she is protected. He told her he would see to it that she had no friends or support. Since he will know that she's no longer alone, I think it just might make him shake in his boots!

I should mention. There is always a line drawn between women who are abused and have no money and women who are abused and have money. And sadly, it's the women who have no money that have drawn this line. Money has nothing to do with staying or leaving because it's in the mind of the victim, not her wallet. It's an emotional attachment and an obsession to prove herself worthy of not being abused before she can leave. Complex, I know.

So, society often neglects the affluent victims because of lack of understanding. The woman isn't silent--she's silenced--by attitudes and prejudices against money. She's resented for her finances, which are usually controlled by the abuser, I might add. It's a very difficult problem to overcome.

So, Jane Doe wants to concentrate on the affluent women. Show them (with her legal expertise) how to protect themselves when he moves money around or hides it from her. It is a very needed area of abuse.

I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your prayers. It is you, approaching God on her behalf, that saved her. Bless you.

Dianne,
Thank you so much for the update. It is easy for those of us who are not in her shoes to encourage her to take a stand for what is right. But she will be the one who has to stand and remain standing through all the backlash associated with exposing the abuse she has experienced.
I will continue to pray for her, as I am sure others at BWS will.
"Jane", I am so proud of you! You go girl!
Lala

I am so happy that all of our prayers are working for Jane Doe and she is gaining the strength and courage to help herself. I wanted to say something here too, if this hadn't happened and she remained afraid and felt crippled by her fear she could have come here and stayed with me. NO ONE would bother her here, my ex husband who passed away awhile back and I were together for 14 years and he was "connected" in Chicago. I am still in touch with many of his pals who visit Vegas several times a year and no one would ever bother her here nor would they be able to keep her from working her craft. The offer is open if she ever needs it. I can and do offer a safe haven for her or others if need be. I don't just take in stray animalswho need a temporary home...

How sweet of you! Now wait a minute Does this mean you wouldn't take in Sammie The Parrot? Oh dear.