My latest novel BLESS as you know is a historical depiction of life during the 19th century.  There are many social themes within the context of the story. However, if you have read it (or maybe not yet) violence is prevalent throughout the storyline.  Let’s keep it real. The society in which we live both past and present is violent. As long as we’re living on this planet Earth, violence cannot be escaped nor shoved under the proverbial rug or its ugly head buried deep in the sand. With the advent of social media and organizations dedicated to fighting this scourge on women and children, and society in general it is brought into the light.  Moreover, the main crux in the story is not just the violent nature of slavery on every man, woman, and child, as it were then, but the violence women experienced within the confines of what they had hoped to be their safe places of refuge…their homes…even during the 19th century and on into the 21st century this act of violence is still with us today.  The questions are:

• Is something as vile, diabolical and territorial as domestic violence worse today than it was then? And why or why not?
• What were the tools or course of action available to those who experience this during the 19th century, and how does it compare to today?
• If you lived then what would you have done different than the characters in the story to help yourself?
• Domestic violence alters a persons brain functions both physically and emotionally, causing mental trauma and/or illness and stress on body and mind. Do you believe my character Avaline DeRouen Ivensen should have handled her situation differently? Why or why not?
• Or are you of the belief she had no recourse for her actions given the times customs and norms of living in a mysogynistic patriarchal society ?
• And what are the long-term effects of domestic violence on children who witness these acts of abuse? 

Thank God today women and families have a plethora of resources available to them such as the National Domestic Violence Hotline 24/7.  Call 800-799-7233 or Text BEGIN to 88788 and they have a Chat line and Website. All of this information can be Googled or found on any Social Media platform. Your local law enforcement agencies are also available to help as well as your local government agencies and task force.

Sidebar: Let’s not downplay the fact that men are also victims of domestic violence, while it is more prevalent against women, domestic violence should never be tolerated under any circumstance or against any gender! And must be dealt with accordingly within the structure of the law.  A woman’s safety and that of her children are always top priority!