Domestic Violence

Today Good Morning America aired part of an interview with Diane Sawyer and pop singer Rihanna about her relationship with Chris Brown and the assault that took place in February. Rihanna admitted her decision to go back to Brown was a mistake.

"I stayed. I even went back after he beat me, which was wrong," she said. "When I realized that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed, I could not be easy with that part. I couldn't be held responsible for going back. Even if Chris never hit me again, who is to say that their boyfriend won't? Who's to say that they won't kill these girls?"

Sadly, my cousin Marie wasn't so lucky. A few weeks ago she was murdered by her live in boyfriend. According to the police report, Girard Grenier admitted to his mother and police that he killed Marie with his hands (likely choking her to death). She was found lying on the couch in their house with blood on her face from her nose. It is so senseless that a 28 year old had to die this way. Police had responded to domestic dispute calls at the house in the past. My other cousin, her sister, had moved out because the fighting, often brought on by drinking, was so bad. Marie had not had the easiest life and I last saw her when we were kids. It seemed like she had been turning her life around in recent years. I just find it so depressing that this has happened to her and so sad for her immediate family- my aunt and cousins.