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the HERALD- Januarys Community Page 13B Family Violence The terror of abuse is always present PALMER Herald Special And all she wanted for Christmas was to have a great few days with her kids You know some skating some skiing and lots of time to make angels in the snow favorite things But this year was no different from the ones before with one exception that is This year gave me some gizmos to protect me The first was a timewall socket to give my home that occupied look The second was a sound activated switch which turns on lights when it hears a noise If anyone had told me Id ever be afraid to enter my own home afraid to walk up the stairs to my bedroom afraid to open the front door and afraid each time I hear dogs barking Id never have believed it Now however I m frightened often I just never know when paranoia is going to strike or how long the fear I not really paranoid Its just that Ive come into my home and found things amiss enough to know someone is trying to scare me and it does scare me Now I almost have a sixth sense and know when someone has been here Ive come to the conclusion that anyone will enter your home if they want to and that there is little point changing locks and increasing security The facts are if an abuser wants to scare you harass you beat you or kill you he will find the way to do it So living with the fear has become almost normal for me I usually dont let it get to me I try to hide it from but sometimes they are scared too especially when we have another phone hang up We all wonder if its just a wrong number or him Sometimes we can hear someone breathing or hear sighs and background music I always feel helpless because I allowed this man into their lives and we cant seem to get him out None of us will ever forget him and the horror he has made us live with I will never forgive myself for the pain it is putting them through I wonder what the long term plications are for them because they live with a mother who is ir rational emotional and upset some of the time And that s how it came to be that I getting security gizmos for Christmas What a parody on life in Hills Five years ago I never considered locking my doors and I never locked my vehicle Now I ensure everything is locked up I watch where I park my car when I out and I always look all around as Im walking the streets or meander ing through the parks I walk a lot less now 1 m careful where I go and it would be unusual for me to be seen out on a weekend even ing m terrified of running into him as I almost did a week or two ago Thank God he did not see me Just the other day I was up for an early walk and then went back to bed Sometime between the time I arrived home and when I got up someone had climbed my fence and tried to enter my home through the laundry room No footprints at any other doors Did I call the police No Oh even tually I will contact them It just one more minor irritation to deal with They will ask me if I suspect anyone and I will go through my usual song and dance routine with another cop So that is the story of how I came to be the proud possessor of security gizmos what a Christmas story Yes I need them I need something to make me feel more secure However they bring to mind even more the atrocity that has come into our lives and will forever leave its footprints on our memories Sometimes life is strange Feel Tree to contact Jacie by directing letters lo her attention at the Herald All correspondence will remain confidential Should you wish to speak lo Jacle call the Distress Centre at and your call will be returned If jou are a woman or child in crisis or an male wanting help call Ihe Distress Centre or dial 911 A networking group is available for abused women seeking help and The roup meets en Wednesday evening 0 at Georgetown Hospital For furthir Information on the group please ton tact Johnston at White Rose 50 off EVERYTHING WE SELLS CRAFTS WICKER FURNITURE INDOOR PLANTS SEEDS GROWING ACCESSORIES EVERLASTING POTTED PLANTS FLOWERS ALL DISCOUNTED SALE ENDS FEBRUARY 2 CELEBRATE CHINESE NEW YEAR AT WHITE ROSE WEDDING ACCESSORIES Chooso from a wide Pkg ot Wadding 29phg 3 Bouquet Lac Trlmreg 1 29oa 35 Plastic Garttr Allow rag 11 PHIOWnjfl 749oa 9 MM TRIMS Wido colour selection Ideal or homo decor projects shell or band aaa boxes moral saleVLI FLOSS ORGANIZER I double A pull 33 69 69 hit SALE WOOD Decoys botes chose AH toady to decorate pair stoned faux CRAFT GLUE Ever papular White Rose gluo now in a value sue 1 litre Now gel quantity SALE FLORAL FOAM Dry or loam lor all r 1 SALE lies FOLK ART PAINT Artist quality acrylic colours 39oa colours plus transparent ported mold Ideal lor mora Our tog 177 lea SALE BUSCILLA STITCHERY KITS 00 GLUE STICKS rom regular extra- strength or oxlonded lime 1ST SALE I PLASTIC CANVAS Perfect or malung gitts toys ornaments ft morel Top quality heavy duty door A coloured Uniform hole SALE 49 LACING Perfect crafting ma tonal or ship bracelets lanyards moral I I lea crass stitch crewel kits SALE FROMi WHITE ROSE SPRAY PAINTS tin 18 colours acrylic gloss 10 colours as AA as gold ft silver SALE SALE HOURS Mon toFrl 900a OOp m Sat Sun Holidays 9OOajn 6 SALE ENDS FEB 6 1992 ItMriEOTOSIOCKON HAND NOT AIL PRODUCT AVAILABLE AT OUR KENNEDY Cfl WHITBY LOCATIONS NO WICKER FURNITURE SOI AT KENNEDY ft THE STORES L mm TREES Calamondm loaded with fragrant blossoms S small roil fruiting flowering 1 40 OFF PRICE Choose from easy to Pino Sago Palms Flcus more ORIENTAL FISH BOWL PLANTER Attractive ceramic bowls onontal Many do signs in which b Our rag 3 13 0FF1SALE BRAMPTON OPEN SUNDAYS A GARDEN SHOW THE ENTIRE FAMILY Tllcarden WILL ENJOY Saturdays at 1200 noon