Today has been a rough day for me. For many that know, I answer crisis calls for a living. That, in itself isn't too bad because I generally can separate myself from their pain and move forward to the next caller.
Today, it has been different. Perhaps, it is because I have never worked in this field on Superbowl Sunday; I don't know. It seems like I had before, but I don't remember it being this rough.
Superbowl for most people can be all fun and games, but from the domestic violence perspective it can be quite the opposite. I have been receiving higher risk crisis calls today percentage wise than I ever have, I believe. I mean, usually, it is just calls wanting more information or how to plan to help from friends or family members OR understanding how they need to understand why they need to stay away from the abusive person OR some students wanting help on their projects.
Today, though....
* a woman's face was bashed in by her ex and she just returned home from the hospital. Her ex was on the way to p/u the kids and she needed to ensure their safety until she could reach the attorney and the district attorney in the morning....
* callers calling from places they are hiding from their abusers....
* callers from the other room while there abusive partner was enjoying the superbowl game after having beaten them up. They were seeking shelter space....
* callers wanting us to call 911 for them...
* caller stating that her husband had just "disciplined" her daughter by yanking her hair and dragging her through the house and throwing her into the doorway. The daughter now has a concussion....
* other child abuse calls being called in....
and sooooo much more.
It is times like these when one gets these sort of calls you would like to be able to hang up the phone and call "The Equalizer" to take care of things. I guess I always loved that show because the actor would do so in a not necessarily violent way to get the point across to the aggressor -- a sort of person who advocated for the underdog.
It is sort of the peace de la resistance (sp?) in the fact that, at least, one underdog has won today -- even if it is from an event that seems to masks the pain of others in the same day.
Some day -- I wish the pains of the victims away and the abusive/aggressive folks of this world find peace so that we can all live in the world as one happy family. Is it really too much to ask for???
