Letter-to-the-Editor:
Please Help My Friend Escape Domestic Violence
Crime-Safety-Security.com Newsletter
[ML: I’ve deleted names and reformatted the e-mail date sequence to scroll down from oldest to newest.]
On 11 Mar 2008, the following message was submitted to crime-safety-security.com from South Africa:
To whom may concern,
I've found your details via internet about protecting women against
violence. I'm on behalf of [my friend], she is not a strong woman. Her
mother dumped her to abusive home and her mother left her and she is now
in [another country]. Now [my friend] is suffering with her ongoing
abusive partner. I'm getting worried about her emotional and mental and
physical state she's in - especially her safely. She needs help but she
don't know how! Is there any way? I need your help and this is urgent. I
got all her details of where she's stays. I would be glad to meet you
in person to talk more about her. Please please I need your help!!!!
She's living in [location deleted]. Please make sure she must not know
that I contact you because her abusive partner got a gun and he knows
who I am. You know what I'm saying??? I would be much appreciate for
your co-operation.
[Concerned Friend]
-------------------------
From:
To: [Concerned Friend]
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Dear [Concerned Friend],
Your concern for [your friend] is admirable. Contact the local authorities.
If they can't or won't help [your friend], perhaps you can arrange to
secrete her to a safe haven where she can start life anew – without her
abusive partner able to trace her.
I hope you can help her find a true escape route. Please let me know what happens.
Michael
--------------------------
From: [Concerned Friend]
To: michaelloftus@crime-safety-security.com Date: 11 Mar 2008
Thanks Michael
I've finally heard from [agency deleted] - we busy co-operating
concerning this matter. I rather contact to many people as much as
possible to bring attention. I'm glad to have good respond and [agency
deleted] will keep in touch with me shortly as I've hoped. I hope for
the best for [my friend] to keep her safe from harm. Thank you for your
repsond. I really appreciate it. I will let you know how things goes.
All the best
[Concerned Friend]
P.S. By the way, I cannot and will not arrange with her secretly because
her partner knows me well and he can get hold of me. [My friend] cannot
keep quiet. That's the problem. I'm just hoping [agency deleted] would
sort it out. I rather remained anonymous for my own safely sake. See. I
have to push to do something. I hope it would works out.
Thanks again. :-)
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As Domestic Violence points out, a battered woman is often bewildered by seemingly hopeless circumstances even though they could lead to her murder or suicide. Oftentimes no neighbors even call the police during obvious beatings nearby because they each think or hope someone else will do so. Or afterward, injuries are passed off with flimsy excuses. Bystanders may be afraid to get involved, but if nothing else, you can at least make an anonymous call to the police. Give them enough of a foothold to very possibly save her life – even if she currently refuses to help herself. Also see Rescuing a Victim Safely.
See how to escape a dangerous man at Stop a Stalker.
Crime-Safety-Security > Newsletter Archive > newsletter-25-Mar-08
