TWAC Founder, R. Romona Jackson, shares insight with Re-New-All Ministries
The Revealing Realities of Domestic Violence...
Insight #1 - Leaving is not easy. It's complex and traumatizing to leave everything you know and love to move to a place where everything is uncertain. Women face obstacles related to childcare, employment, food security, financial resources, housing stability, and transportation. Many times, they face these challenges when they are depressed, sleep deprived, suffering emotional, physical or mental pain, or are just plain tired. After trying to manage life on their own, often a decision is made to return home. It's unsafe, but it's familiar and it prevents a woman and her children from being homeless.
Insight #2 - We need to change the way we talk about domestic abuse. This is not just about women and children. All members of a community and family are affected by abuse in the home. As a community, we have to make resources available to address this issue rather than offer pat answers to families who need help. Moreover, we can't simply focus on physical abuse. Other forms of abuse, such as emotional, financial, mental, and spiritual abuse can be just as harmful. To recognize what's happening in a family, even when no one is admitting it, we need increased awareness and training in businesses, churches, and civic organizations.
Insight #3 - Creating a new way to live occurs one step at a time. Breaking harmful cycles of abuse does not happen over night. It doesn't happen in a week. Sometimes, it doesn't happen in a year. It's a process and it takes time - a lot of time. There is grief, loss, and eventually acceptance, healing and recovery. The time it takes to get to a healthier place following the trauma of abuse depends on each individual's ability and willingness to do the hard work of taking steps forward. Knowing someone is there to walk with you as you do, can help.
To read the entire blog post from Re-New-All, click here.
If you or someone you know is involved in a relationship that is abusive. Reach out to us. We can help women in the East Shelby County, Tennessee communities of Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Cordova, Germantown, Lakeland, Millington, or Rossville,
If you are outside our service area, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline now at:
1-800-799-7233.