Results: Brave Woman Relies on Strangers for Help Escaping an Abusive Relationship

Have you ever been in an abusive relationship?

If you answered yes above, were you able to get out of it?

Do you think it was brave of the young woman to slip the note to the staff at the veterinary office in order to get help?

Do you think the women behind the desk at the veterinary office deserve special recognition for their quick thinking and delicate handling of the situation?

As a former police officer, I've made many arrests for domestic violence. One of the most frustrating things that often happened was when the victim would show up in court a few weeks later, she would ask the judge to drop the charges. Shortly after, we would get called to the same location when the guy we previously arrested (and was released when the victim asked the judge to let him go) would become violent again and physically abuse the victim. I understand the difficulty some people have with leaving abusive relationships (loss of financial support, etc.), but can you understand the frustration from the law enforcement perspective at having to arrest the same individual multiple times when the victim asks the judge to drop charges as soon as the case shows up in court?