Summary
Contents
Detailing the domestic violence suffered by the first author during her 16 year marriage, this moving volume details the background and events leading up to and immediately following Beth Sipe's tragic act of desperation: ending the life of the perpetrator. Encouraged to publish her story by her therapist and co-author, Evelyn Hall, Sipe relates how her case was mishandled by the police, the military, a mental health professional and the welfare system, illustrating how women like herself are further victimized and neglected by the very systems that are expected to provide assistance. Her story is followed by seven commentaries by experts in the field. They discuss the causes and process of spousal abuse, reasons why battered women stay, and the dynamic consequences of domestic violence.
Presumed Guilty
Presumed Guilty
On May 10, I was free after the most degrading, humiliating experience of my life. When Debra picked me up from jail that night, she had Daniel with her in the car. We hugged and cried, overcome with relief, sorrow, joy. On the way home, I learned that James had returned the previous night. When he started to enter the house through the back door, he heard the police radio, got scared, and jumped into the storage shed, locking himself in.
Within minutes, he heard the policemen outside, discussing whether or not to break down the door of the shed. It was terrifying for him, thinking they might come in shooting. After they left, he spent the rest of the night in the ...