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the way we tried this case was we wanted to present all the evidence that we had
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and then at the very end we put on Amy Jackson she was our domestic violence expert and our goal about that was to
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bring it all together over time the longer um individuals stay in this relationship the the um the abuse
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continues and that was really when we were able to see the the light just go on with the jury and it was like now I
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get it yeah maybe they had a case before yeah they seem to have a good case oh now I understand you said that at times
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the perpetrator will be calling the victim crazy I think frequently we see um a perpetrator who will um either try
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to convince the victim herself that she's crazy some of the myths that the general public tends to believe about
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domestic violence is that the first time there was any kind of abuse that occurred the victim would IM immediately
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tell somebody or immediately pick up the phone and call 911 there's a high degree
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of Shame that's associated with domestic violence um a a desire to keep uh things
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private to not allow the outside public or friends or family to know about what's going on within the relationship
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and there's a fear that they may not be believed that's a common question that we get asked frequently about domestic
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violence victims is is why doesn't she just leave one reason is uh they they really believe a a perpetrator may say
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I'm going to get help I'm going to go to counseling I'm going to do whatever it is that you want me to do a victim
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really believes those things and so she hopes and believes that the perpetrator really is going to change and is going
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to get better but the number one reason that that victims frequently don't leave
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relationships is because of fear when a a victim is attempting to leave a relationship or has left a relationship
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it is by far the most dangerous time another myth that exists and it's a big one is that leaving equals safety
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leaving an abusive relationship does not equal safety most homicides within Intimate Relationships occur during the
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time period that a victim is attempting to leave a relationship or has just left
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the relationship the number one thing that um those of us who have contact with with victims can do is to believe
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the victim to understand that um she's in a very difficult scary situation to not judge her for the decisions that
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she's making and so I would really encourage friends and families to get that victim in touch with a victim
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advocate