Your Attention Please:

Did you just turn on your television and learn about a young woman found dead in her apartment?

Her neck had been broken. The day before she had called the police during a violent domestic episode. When they reached her apartment and no one answered, they left.

What are you thinking? Did you hear the desperation in her plea recorded during the 911 call? Are you wondering if she was still alive when the police knocked on her door? Do you want the police to tell you why they didn't break down the door? Are you angry that the 911 operator did not respond quickly, more efficiently and note the urgency of the call? Are you angry she didn't get up and leave? Did it ever occur to you that she was trapped, controlled, and powerless to act on her own?

Perhaps if you had ever had to place such a call, as we have, you would be sadly outraged but not surprised at the outcome. We are all in this woman's shoes. She could have been any of us. We have had guns pulled on us, been tied up by our abusers, beaten in front of neighbors, threatened with knives, and no one came to our aid or arrested our abusers.

We know her terror. We can identify with her. There have been times we thought we, too, would be murdered because no one came to help us. We have been driven to such desperation that four out of the six of us admit we have thought of killing our abusers.

It is no secret that a number of police interpret a domestic violence call as just another fight to deal with. They think, "He's slappin' her around. We'll check it out and then they'll calm down."

"My abuser used to dare me to call the cops. He was confident I was too afraid to call and he was sure, if I did, that they wouldn't do a thing to him."

We think you should be outraged along with us. Everyone must learn something from these senseless tragedies. The 911 operator and all of us who idly sit by must beat the burden of guilt. Our inaction has cost a woman her life. We shudder at the thought of carrying this guilt for the rest of our lives. Do you?

Women in search of answers,
Women in search of support,
Women who are victims,

Terry, Allison, Becky, Shelia, and Marcella