Cedars, Spring 2021

Spring 2021 7 EDITOR’S NOTE : The names in this story have been changed to protect the anonymity of the innocent. The people in this story are in no way connected to Cedarville University. TRIGGER WARNING : This story contains content that may be disturbing to readers who have and have not experienced relationship abuse. Shedding Light on the Darkness of Abuse By Hannah Deane T hree weeks before Samantha left for college, she went on a walk in the woods with her fiancé, George. In the ground, among the tall pine trees, was a hole. Samantha’s fiancé told her, as they came upon that hole, that if she ever tried to leave him that opening would be her grave. He told her he would make it look like an accident. No one would ever know. The last time Samantha interacted with George was in his truck. She was on a break from college. She had broken things off with him and was in another relationship that was going well. George begged her to come talk to him. She agreed and they drove to the top of a dam. “The stupid thing that I did was I went back and talked to him,” Samantha said. “Once you’re out of it, never ever, ever, ever, ever go back.” He told her that he had something for her. He told her to open the glove compartment. She did. Inside was a .357 Magnum pistol. He reached across her and pulled out the gun. He pressed the end of the heavy steel barrel into her temple. “I just want you to know that if you ever try to date anybody,” he said, “I’m going to kill you.” He put the gun down. Samantha then said something she now realizes she would never recommend to someone in that situation. “Well, you might as well kill me now because I already have,” Samantha said. “And I am going to do it again.” He slammed the pistol back into the compartment and furiously drove her home. Abusive relationships are a tragically common reality. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV), nearly 10 million women and men are physically abused by their partner in a single year. This means that every 20 minutes, a person is abused. Samantha didn’t always like George. When they were growing up, she disliked the way he treated other kids. Then the latter years of high school hit, and she found herself in a relationship with him. She was now suddenly attracted to his strong personality. She thought this meant he would protect her. However, it was merely a mask for the abusive propensities that hid beneath the surface. George grew up in a home where his father abused his mother. However, Samantha’s relationship with him didn’t begin that way. They would play-wrestle and sometimes George would get a little rough. However, Samantha didn’t know the direction this playfulness would take in the coming months and years. “It happened so gradually,” Samantha said. “It’s kind of like you don’t know how you got here from there.” Misty, like Samantha, was also attracted to strong personalities. Tears welled up in her eyes as she recounted the occasions in which she had been tied up in a closet, locked in her