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Domestic Abuse knows no name or fame. I created The Weaker Vessel, Inc. because I was a victim of domestic abuse for 18 years. I dealt with the threats of violence just as Julia did. Threats of violence in an abusive relationship can be quite deceiving because you don't know the true intent of the offender until he makes his move. It's like dating Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. You begin asking yourself questions, "Will he ever make good on his threats?"

Trapped!!!! A feeling of being trapped is very real. We can't stop, run and hide because of idle threats. On the other hand, we feel like running and hiding to better protect ourselves and our family but because we try to provide a sense of stability for our children, we stay...

Julia had a false sense of security because she considered her mother's home a safe haven. When I left, I also considered my mother's home a safe haven but when my abuser was able to walk right in, I knew, I had to find another place to live. I certainly didn't want to bring any drama to my mother's home.

Here's an important question: How many times did William Balfour threaten to kill her family? This is very important because it lends to Julia's belief system. If she considered his threat to be idle chatter then it was something he said often with no actions behind it to let her know that his threat was real! If he said it maybe once or twice and without Julia questioning that statement, then he probably felt that he could carry out his threat. Far be it from me to get into a killer's mind and figure out his reasoning for such devastating actions.

The road to healing is a long one. I hope that Julia and Jennifer are able to find peace. My prayers are with them.