Broken Glass: When Domestic Violence Ends in Murder

Her name is Nikki Addimando and she is a victim. 

For years she braved the abusive hands of her children’s father and now she braves the abusive hands of our “justice” system. I can’t tell you how disturbing this pattern is: Abusive men controlling the women in their lives, making them fear for their safety or the safety of their children, threatening loved ones. Classic abuser behavior. These threats seem like promises, and sometimes they are.

Just a basic google search of domestic violence statistics shows that almost 20 people per minute are physically abused by a partner. 1,200 and hour. 28,800 a day. Almost 10.5 million a year. This is unacceptable. Research statistics about survival of women who leave their abusers. Two thirds are stalked by former partners, and normally fatal encounters occur within the first two weeks of separation.

The threats sometimes are promises.

Her name is Nikki Addimando and she is a victim. She was abused for years. Her children witnessed the abuse. Her family was forced to watch as she covered up her abusers actions. She feared for her life, she feared for her safety and she feared that her children would be taken from her. 

She did what she could for her children even when money was tight. She was crafty and sold home-made goods for extra money. She found free events to make memories with her children. She seemed on the surface to have a normal life. Until her fear spilled over and she shot her abuser in the temple.

She left with her children until she stopped at a green light and sat. When police were called she was honest and open. She had a history of documented abuse. She was identified as a survivor of domestic abuse and violence. Yet she is now sentenced to 19 years to life for the murder of a piece of sh*t.

You can defend that life is sacred and murder is bad. You can defend that a father will never be known by his children. Can you defend a battered woman with children, scared and unsure of her future? 

The better question is: can you defend a justice system that vilifies a woman failed by her community, by her state and by the very systems that should have protected her?

Image Credit: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/Broken_glass. jpg