Movement Against the Stopping and Prevnetion of Child and Spousal Abuse | ||||||||||||||||||||
| This Page is Dedicated to the Stopping and Prevention of Child and Spousal Abuse | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Coming from a single-parent household I was witnessed to one of the worst things that can happen to a family, spouse abuse. I was also a victim of child abuse, not physically or sexual but emotional. In a national sample of 6002 households, conducted by Murray A. Strauss and Richard J. Gelles, found that about one of every six couples experiences at least one physical assault during the year. Even if it is just a push or shove, it can be classified as spousal or child abuse. If a couple has children and commits spousal abuse then the effects are devastating on a child. If spousal abuse is occurring then studies show that one-half to three-quarters of men beat their children. 5.7 children per 1000 under age 18 are physically, sexually, or emotionally abused annually. Being exposed to spousal abuse is as damaging to a child as being abused themselves. Here is my story. When I was maybe 8 yrs. old my father, Ronald D. Leffert, beat up on my mother. I witnessed this act of spousal abuse. In the middle of the night we packed up our belongings and got out of the house. In the middle of the night we packed up out belongings and got out of there. We then went to my Aunt's house in South Bend where we took refuge. We then got on the South Shore train and headed to my brothers house where we could be safe, and my father wouldn't hunt us down. We stayed there for about two weeks I recall until we decided to move to Rochester, IN to my other Aunt's house, where we lived for about one year, if I recall right. This is when I started visitation with my father, and his new wife, Marvalean. I did not like visitation at all, because I was afraid that my father would abuse me just like he did my mother, by beating her. My father was also a so-called pastor, he did not get his pastor's license, so he was a fake. He would preach the bible to me and force me to love God. I found out later that he was running a cult. He know so called pastors at Christ's Church in Burr Oak, IN. I still believe it is a cult. One weekend when I went for visitation he decdided to kidnapp me and take me to Michigan. My father's visitation rights were limited to the state of Indiana, and he had visitation on every other weekend. On another occasion when I went for visitation he gave me a gun and told me to shoot me own mother. When visitation ended I took the gun home and gave the gun to my mother, she took it to our attorney. We were in and out of court many times for custody battles that my mother won. Which were my wishes, to stay with her. At this same time I started counseling. This was probably the toughest point for me because I had to start talking about what I had gone through. At this point is when we moved to Argos, IN where I started the third grade. I switched counselors to Marshall County, where I continued my counseling. It was at this point when I said "enough" to visitation and I wanted it stopped soon. My mother respected my wished, bless her heart, and we went to court and we got vistitaion stopped. This is when I had to testify against my own father on the witness stand, to his face. It was heard, but I knew if I didn't he visitation would continue so I did. We won and got visitation rights stopped. This was probably the best thing, because if you can't solve the problem then the only thing left to do is get rid of the problem. This is exactly what we did. I under went numerous year of counseling. I never heard from my father again. I sent him an invitation to my high school graduation, but he never showed up neither did my own grandfather. Right now I am currently attending Indiana State University majoring in Criminology. I then plan to apply to the Indiana State Police, where I will become an Indiana State Trooper. I plan on going back and looking up my father to show him what I have done with my life, and what I have become without him. I would like to dedicate this page to my mother who went through this torture and hell with me and for me. I would also like to dedicate this page to the countless of other adults and children who have went through what I have. My heart goes out to you, Godbless and Godspeed.If you have any questions or comments e-mail me at:[email protected] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Some Statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||
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-Men often use guns, knives, or fists inflict more injury. -About 60 percent of spousal assaults consist of minor shoving, slapping, pushing. -40 percent are considered severe: punching, kicking, stabbing, choking. -One-half of the incidents of domestic assault are not reported. -The most common reason given for failure to report a domestic assault to the police was that the victim considered the incident a private matter. -Victims who reported such incidents to the police do so to prevent future assaults. -Though the police classify two-thirds of the reported incidences of domestic violence as simple assaults, half of them inflict bodily injury as serious as or more serious than the injuries inflicted during rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults. | |||||||||||||||||||
| What you can do to stop abuse. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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-If you are being abused you do not have to take it. Report it immediately for your safety and the other persons safety. -If you or anyone you know is being abused call the local authorities. They can and will help. -Get involved you are your own person. Only you know what is right and what is wrong. -If you are abusing people you can get psychological help, don't be afraid, people will help | |||||||||||||||||||
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