Tammi,
I cannot thank you enough for giving me and other abuse victims the chance to speak out so others can see that they are not alone in this struggle.
When I saw this shirt 2 days ago while searching for graphic’s to help me build my profile on my AOL site…I thought, I have to have this shirt! My favorite color is purple, I love scroll type work (which I have on the fender of my Purple Harley) and I had just won a Permanent Protection Order only last week….I thought how APROPOS!
The man I was with was my ex boyfriend. He was verbally and physically abusive. I allowed this behavior from him believing that I could change him if I showed him by my actions how love is suppose to be. He had tried to take my life 5 times, he was physically abusive to me and it had finally escalated to him losing control in front of my son. My son had called 911 and I told my son that if he signed the police report that I would no longer talk to him (my son was only 15). The police told me and my son that he did not need to sign the report because the police could see the physical evidence on my body. I was so in love with this man but more afraid of what this man would do to me or my son if I were to press any charges.
Last June 6th 2009 I told my ex that I no longer ever wanted to see him again, hear from him again and that I no longer loved him. It took less than 1 minute for him to call me a ” F%## Face” and start punching my face. I ended up in the hospital with a broken cheekbone, broken back molar, face beaten and bruised, hematoma on my eye, broken hand with a spiral fracture plus he bit my finger all the way through to the bone. I had over 30 bruises all over my body.
I had had enough. I had been silent for too long. It took me almost 4 months to have him served so I could get a temporary protection order. Every 2 weeks I would go to court and have to hear the Deputy tell the Judge that he was evading being served. After 30 days, I would have to fill out all of the paper work again…and start from ground zero. It was very disheartening and it was hard to keep pressing forward, but I felt an obligation to myself, my family and to other women not to allow this man to go unpunished and to let as many people know what kind of man he truly is.
My temporary protection order was going to expire on September 11, 2010. I knew I was in grave danger once this had expired. I was told by many government officials that it is next to impossible to get a Permanent Protection Order. I decided I had to try! I went to court, not expecting him or anyone representing him to be there….like so many times before, but I was wrong. He had hired an Attorney…after 1 & 1/2 hours of hearing his Attorney object to everything I said…the Judge said the most wonderful words I could have heard. He gave me the Permanent Protection Order and found him in Contempt of Court.
Today, I have to go back to Court, this time I am going to the Criminal Court and I have taken out a Criminal Warrant against him. Once again…how APROPOS, the day I am to go to court…I ordered your shirt to break the chain of silence.
I cannot thank you enough for what you are doing and for helping me to get dressed with a purpose!
God Bless you for helping so many.
Carol
August 17, 2010