In response to October 23 "Abuse victims still victimized": As a former abused wife, mother and friend of abused women, I would like to point out two ways abuse victims are being victimized.
Domestic violence is a misdemeanor. Police could press felony terrorism charges, if a woman is not capable of pressing charges. Many times police fail to intervene.
Judges, to uphold child visitation, pass court orders to prevent battered women from moving away from their batterers. This is legal emotional abuse and sometimes dangerous. Trains, planes and automobiles could transport children for visitation.
Why is a victim of abuse denied the freedom allowed to every other citizen (and I might add, illegal) in this country -- the right to live wherever she chooses to live? Victims of abuse will never live healthy and productive lives until society demands that they be allowed to live normal lives wherever they choose that might be.
The way out? If the father knows the whereabouts of the child, it is contempt of court to move away. Since contempt of court can only be enforced in the occurring county, the father has to pay extradition for every state line crossed. My ex-batterer lived in the Midwest.
Diana Mulligan
Fresno
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