Domestic Violence: The Victim's Story...
Veronica was in the kitchen. She was a natural multitasker. Talking with her friend on the phone, she had just finished making sandwiches for the kids, and putting the last load of clothes in the laundry. She felt pretty proud that she had gotten things done before Dan, her husband got home. On cue like clockwork she heard Dan's car pull up. The kids took their sandwiches and went out to the backyard to play. She, sprucing her hair up, went to greet him at the door.
Opening the door, she smiled at Dan as he approached the entrance. Dan did not return her greeting. He walked right past her, straight faced and put his items on the floor in the closet, and walked to the bedroom. Veronica decided to approach Dan and ask how was his day. He said in a firm voice. "Don't bother me right now. I am busy. I don't have time to talk to you right now. You always are making conversations with me at the wrong time. Don't you get that I need time to unwind?" He says a few curse words and makes his way to the living room grabbing a beer on his way through the kitchen. Veronica forgot that she was on the phone with Jessica. She looks at the phone sitting on the counter. She picks it up and says, "hello?" There was a momentary pause before Jessica decides to speak. Her friend heard it all.. Jessica says to her..."That man needs some help. That's not normal. Is he always so short with you? Your relationship worries me." Veronica laughs it off and says...he's just had a hard day. He will be fine as soon as he unwinds." Just then, she turns around to see Dan standing there. He asks who was she talking to? He commands her to get off the phone and to do something constructive around the house. She tells her friend she's got to go. She will call her back. Dan looks at her and forbids her to ever talk to her friend again. He brushes past her bumping her with his shoulder. He mutters under his breath, "I don't know why I even married you. If it wasn't for the kids I would have left you a long time ago." Veronica gets tearful. She thinks to herself, "This was all my fault for being so insensitive. Maybe next time I will tone it down a notch. Be more sensitive to his situation...Then we will all be happier."
Opening the door, she smiled at Dan as he approached the entrance. Dan did not return her greeting. He walked right past her, straight faced and put his items on the floor in the closet, and walked to the bedroom. Veronica decided to approach Dan and ask how was his day. He said in a firm voice. "Don't bother me right now. I am busy. I don't have time to talk to you right now. You always are making conversations with me at the wrong time. Don't you get that I need time to unwind?" He says a few curse words and makes his way to the living room grabbing a beer on his way through the kitchen. Veronica forgot that she was on the phone with Jessica. She looks at the phone sitting on the counter. She picks it up and says, "hello?" There was a momentary pause before Jessica decides to speak. Her friend heard it all.. Jessica says to her..."That man needs some help. That's not normal. Is he always so short with you? Your relationship worries me." Veronica laughs it off and says...he's just had a hard day. He will be fine as soon as he unwinds." Just then, she turns around to see Dan standing there. He asks who was she talking to? He commands her to get off the phone and to do something constructive around the house. She tells her friend she's got to go. She will call her back. Dan looks at her and forbids her to ever talk to her friend again. He brushes past her bumping her with his shoulder. He mutters under his breath, "I don't know why I even married you. If it wasn't for the kids I would have left you a long time ago." Veronica gets tearful. She thinks to herself, "This was all my fault for being so insensitive. Maybe next time I will tone it down a notch. Be more sensitive to his situation...Then we will all be happier."
What raises your concerns in Veronica's experience? What types of Domestic Violence did you identify?