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I remember the day that changed my life
The day my neighbor knocked on my door.
It was cold outside.
I looked out the window
and saw a woman crying
and calling out.
"Please let me in".
I opened the door
and she was standing in front of me
breathing heavily, with blood dripping from her face onto the ground.
I pulled her inside and she told the story behind her bruises, cuts and scars.
He pulled up in the driveway
and filled with anger when he came into the house.
He pushed her out his way.
Claimed every problem he had was because of her.
He got angry,
punched the walls and blamed it all on her.
Then he swung his fist, it went straight into her face,
leaving her fighting for her life.
He was a man, a man who reflected a sense of entitlement.
A man who thought he could get away with beating a woman
because she had an opinion.
Because she answered back.
And she stood up for what she believed in.
Abused,
because he was a drunk
or because he felt like it.
She was locked out of the house
and she was crouching with fear and shaking with tears outside.
She left her child stranded in the house
scared to go back home.
We called the police and after they arrived her husband sprinted from the house
speeding away as fast as he could.
Her son threw up
filling the floor with vomit and went to the hospital.
violence against women not acceptable in any culture.
I am glad I opened the door that day because from that moment
I knew I had to work to change things for women.