The True Visual Effects of Abuse

We never know the actual trauma and exact effects of abuse. It can hide in the darkest corners of your nearest neighborhood, your mayor's office, down the street at your local bar or even at your local church. Yes, violence can disguise itself in many shapes, many people, many experiences, and many opportunities. But let's be clear Abuse and Violence has no bias, it does not discriminate. It doesn't care of your age, your gender, your status, your political affiliation, your race, your religion, or your economic status. Violence is just Violence, it just plain hates, no matter the appearance of it. If we look at humanity throughout the ages, we can see that we have transformed ourself. We as humans have evolved into a species that has grasped the evolution of hatred and malice. And although there are particular occasions that we can show great feet of good loving kindness. We are starting to lose the inability to feel the basic instincts of great compassion. Sometimes, our mandate of un-remorseable lawlessness to appease our generation is stronger than that of human kindness. We make excuses for killing babies, we make excuses for sodomy and rapist and call them, "morally upright and law-abiding in life."
We even question the morality of the structure of human decency in the sanctity of marriages, families, the care of social equality and the treatment of each person principles. It has gotten necessary and disgusting that human life has taken a back seat because we like to use morality as the basis of our own platforms. Although, we see crying children, helpless mothers, gun violence, racial tension, religious divide, political indifferences, and human biases. I believe if we cannot take a grasp on these personal divides and agendas, we will never be able to take a hold on the issues of Domestic Violence. Ever. And the Issues of childhood trauma, suicide, and sexual trafficking; these issues are more significant than one group, one nation, and one person can undertake. We need personal deliverance and a personal manifestation of healing to this country like never before.
Martin Luther King said it best when he said,
" The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, 
begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy.
Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.
Through violence, you may murder the liar,
but you cannot murder the lie, nor establish the truth.
Through violence, you may murder the hater,
but you do not murder hate.
In fact, violence merely increases hate.
So it goes.
Returning violence for violence multiplies violence,
adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness:
only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

I got a fantastic opportunity to work with a great photographer in Connecticut  Nikki Lyn Amatruda, and her excellent work with the models and makeup artist in Connecticut for the Intimate Partner Violence PSA calendar,

I do have to warn you some pictures are very explicit in nature, so I AM PLACING A WARNING to anyone because of the graphic quality.  But what surprised me was the tenacity, the love, and compassion all these women and how they loved one another. I was touched by the loving kindness that each woman had for one another and how they reach out to share their stories. It really places this PSA at a particular moment in time to let the world know of what they faced. Many of them years before, many of them months earlier, and many of them just a couple of weeks, but we all can attest this is a time capsule of pain. Knowing that this pain is no longer available but tucked away until needed for our next advocacy moment. They were strong and purely spectacular women. I am so thankful to have known each and every one of them. If you get an opportunity please stop and check out Nikki's closer images online and many of these amazing women. I hope you will become part of the fantastic Domestic Violence Rally Movement. It has not been easy, but each voice together can mean a grand scale of a collective movement to show peoples stories. This Vigil in each state will show that we are going to seize anonymity and complacency and choose to stand for what is right and what is RIGHTEOUS.

God bless and stay safe in America.

                                                 PHOTOS BY   Nikki Lyn Amatruda

                                                                              Click the link to view larger photos.