If that’s the case, I’m not sure I get the point of even having a legal system.

Laws concerning arresting the aggressor vary by state. I don’t know what the law is in Florida. Here in Oklahoma it still goes by officer discretion.

The problem with that line of reasoning is that the cycle does not stop when the victim leaves, if anything it escalates. Even if she changes her name and leaves the state, he still has access to her family and access to her through their mutual children. She allows him to come back out of fear or economic necessity.…

So, how exactly are battered women supposed to help themselves if they don’t have safe places to go? Your ex-acquaintance obviously chose not to think this through.

That would actually make more sense.

There is something wrong with the infrastructure of my building. The taxi-hailing doorman is missing.

I wonder if there is someone in this woman’s life she is afraid of. Powering down cell phones, or even leaving them behind, and not using credit or debit cards are two things we often discuss with domestic violence victims who are leaving particularly dangerous abusers. Unless her family is being extremely difficult…

Charges were filed against the runaway bride because she tried to give them a fake story about being kidnapped, when she actually left of her own free will. She falsely reported a crime.

I love the idea of giving an experience. Take the kid to zoo or the park, for heaven’s sake. Or, if he’s old enough to enjoy it, to a hands-on museum. Or, just take him off Mom and Dad’s hands for a few hours and play with him at your house.

Back when my nephews and niece were small, I quickly learned that any gift with small parts would end up back at my house “so the kids would have something to play with over there”. I purchased accordingly.

http://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/how-m…

This. The fibers are not real, the pain absolutely is.

Fucking weirdos who have panic attacks:

It never occurred to me to tip at Sonic until I got a part-time job at a group home for teenage girls. Some of our girls worked at Sonic and the high point of their day was counting their tips after their shift. Now I always try to leave a little something.

I have been an advocate for victims of domestic violence for many years and have heard numerous versions of “I was going to leave, I was making a plan, and then I found out I was pregnant.” Having a child in common with an abuser creates a tie the victim cannot break for the next eighteen years. Ending the…

I agree that it depends on the situation. If a server is playing with her phone instead of doing her job, for example, or is out and out rude or disrespectful there will be no tip and if it is one of my regular places I will probably have a word with the owner or manager. I think what has changed is the use of tipping…

I don't agree that it's OK to undertip just because the server made an honest mistake. We are all human. I receive a modest monthly salary and would possibly starve if my pay was docked every time I made a minor error. I was eating at a local Chinese place with my nephew once and our server managed to spill an entire…

Here in Oklahoma you do not need an attorney. That may be something else that varies by state. Our local program (where I work) has a Court Advocate who, though not an attorney, is very familiar with the filing process and will walk the petitioner through the whole thing step by step and we don't charge any fees.

Excellent post. Another gift you can give your local DV program is your time. Most domestic violence facilities use volunteers to transport victims, watch children while mom is working with advocates or in support group, answer phones, help in the office and many other things. That's how I started working in the…

Did you watch the TEDtalk on YouTube? YouTube commenters are the bottom of the barrel.