Hi - Mari - I don't have to show up at the court hearings/pre-trials, but DV says it's a good idea to. Because otherwise I wouldn't know what the heck was going on. Plus it notes that the victim is present and my input to the prosecutor is important.

Plus, if I hadn't brought the priors and all, this would of gone to his advantage with a plea. Me being there shows that this isn't something, that I don't care about and want justice served.

Make sense? It's not fun, but I don't even make eye contact with him, actually he is like a stranger to me now. It's real strange.

People think that once the physical abuse is over, its all over. Well, it's not, the trauma, the depression, the mental anquish, the fear, the trust issue, stays with you, sometimes for a very long time. Since he had so much control over me, it's like he took a part of me with him.

So, going to DV counseling, educates you, and helps make you look and think at things much differently. Makes you realize these people don't change, they continue to manipulate to their advantage, lie and con people.
It's just there way of living, they think the world owes them something.

Nikko