When the violence comes from someone you are intimate with
There’s less of a stigma; it’s called domestic or dating violence
And the cycle is passed on from generation to generation
Because of society’s apathy, victims continue to suffer in silence

On the news the other night they reported
How a man kept his wife in a cage
Because she had threatened to leave him
Now where is the public outrage?

In fact there was more coverage, indignation, and anger
When we found some animals had been mistreated at the zoo
Is that why there are three times more animal shelters
Than there are shelters for battered women and children to go to?

Much of domestic violence is done at home in privacy
Women and children are abused where others can’t see
And even when reported they rarely get maximum sentences
What does that say about society’s values and priorities?

Many times women can’t leave because they can’t afford to
And they are afraid for their lives and of losing their kids
When they seek solace they are counseled to save the marriage;
Some convince the women to just pray and forgive what he did

But forgiveness from the victim doesn’t make abusers stop
And the exposure only fuels their anger and rage
And the abuse gets more and more brutal
Blind eyes and ears have already set the stage

If he defames you and hurts you
And takes advantage of you; he’s a user
Don’t confuse it with love because he says he’s sorry
Any man who hurts you is nothing but an abuser

If you see someone in trouble offer a shoulder, resources, or an ear
And call the police if its screaming sounds that you hear
Even though you don’t want to get involved, the facts are clear
And that is people die when others remain silent because of fear

We are a violent society and it just doesn’t make sense
To condone it in the home is ignoring domestic violence
You know it’s wrong; you’re not that slow or that dense
You’ve got to do what you can to stop domestic violence!

©2009, Barbara S. Talley- www.ThePoetSpeaks.com