Thanks for sharing your perspective.

The closest I've come to abuse was my high school boyfriend. He became drug addicted during our relationship, jerked me around and then once (the back breaking straw) picked me up late for a concert we'd had tickets to for months, insisted that we go in anyway (it was a symphony and the ushers wouldn't let us go in until intermission) got mad at ME and took me home far too early so that my parents knew something was amiss. Oh, and he also pushed me out of his car and broke my watch.

I broke up with him, went away to college and returned to my community. People I'd once considered friends had taken sides, clearly not mine.

Recently I commented on a memorial board for my high school and one of the old friends basically told me to shut up.

I'm glad I have a full life. I'm glad I never looked back. I had the ability to get away because I was supported by my parents and went far away for college.