As 2021 comes to a close, NCADV is looking back the the guest posts published to our blog this year. We want to share with you the guest blog posts published in 2021. The countdown can be found below.

#5 Mad Love

"It was a warm September afternoon in 1992 when the world was first introduced to the Maiden of Mischief, the Cupid of Crime, or as most know her as, Harley Quinn. These early years of Harley Quinn’s character development had her by the Jokers side, encouraging, supporting, and standing by the Clown Prince of Crime, which had fans calling her, 'the Jokers girlfriend.' In the years to come, Harley Quinn would develop into her own and become the main character to her own story. Unlike popular opinions created early on, Harley Quinn and the Jokers love story is not a romantic comedy, but instead, a dark, tormented story of abuse."      

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#4 When I Broke the Silence

"It took me many years to muster up the courage to tell the people in my life what my husband was doing to me.

Heads up: When you decide to tell, beware. You may not get the reactions from people you expect or hope for. Some people will surprise you, both in a good way and in a bad way."

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#3 Bystander Paralysis: It Happens to Everyone -- Even Domestic Violence Experts

"I have several years of experience in violence prevention and victim services for power based violence. “Power based violence is a form of violence that has a primary motivator: assertion of power, control and/or intimidation in order to harm another. This includes relationship/partner violence, rape/sexual assault, stalking, and other uses of force, threat, intimidation, or harassment of an individual.” I even studied it in school. So I should know exactly what to do when I overhear a domestic disturbance next door right? Wrong."

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#2 The Aftermath of Domestic Violence

"'I don't give a shit about your stupid little teen soap opera.'

A seemingly simple statement, albeit a bit nasty. But it was said with such vitriol that it stopped me in my tracks for a second. It was the first time he had ever spoken to me like that, and I was caught off guard by the gruff in his voice. All I wanted to do was watch a show that comforted me, and I was super confused as to why he was reacting this way."

Start Reading "The Aftermath of Domestic Violence" Now

#1 But, Why Did You Stay?

I knew it would never happen to me.  I was way too independent and I would never let a man belittle me, let alone hit me.  As a prosecutor in the third largest county in the United States, I was assigned to a special division to prosecute domestic violence cases where the victim wanted charges dropped against her abuser. I remember being so frustrated with all the women who would not leave their abuser and refused to cooperate with their prosecution. I thought they were stupid and I felt like I cared about their safety more than they did. My complete understanding of domestic violence did not come until I also became a victim.

Start Reading "But, Why Did You Stay?" Now