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NOINO - Recently you were interviewed in the Sister 2 Sister magazine which has Keyshia Cole on the cover. How was that experience and what kind of feedback have you received from interview?
MM - The experience of being interviewed by Sister 2 Sister was very interesting and exciting. The interview was held at the home of Jamie Foster and she welcomed us into her home with open arms. There is an online interview on their website, www.s2smagazine.com. We felt safe and happy to be there. The feedback received from the article has been very positive. The feedback has been via email and in person from those who recognize me while at different stores. I'm grateful to Allah and Mrs. Foster for allowing my story to be read by so many.
NOINO - What would you say are some of the common misconceptions that people have about domestic violence?
MM - That domestic violence is only physical. Those who stay after being physically abused is a volunteer. The victim can leave anytime. What happens in a home where violence occurs is their business. The victim must have done something to make the abuser do what was done. Children of violence can bounce back because they are young. Domestic violence is EVERYBODY'S issue. This is dis-ease so wide spread that everyone knows someone either directly or indirectly that has been affected by this. Domestic violence is tearing at the fabric of our families. And since family is the backbone of our Nation, we would be re-miss in our duty to ignore this epidemic.
NOINO - What advice would you give to males who realize that they are perpetrators of domestic violence and wants to change?
MM - There are many programs for men who recognize they need help. You have to want the help for the program to be successful. The website to contact to assist you in finding the help you need is below. There is a long list of resources on this site. http://www.dvinstitute.org/current/sriresources.htm
NOINO - Many would agree that the issue of domestic is prevalent, however, is it preventable and how if so?
MM - At one time it was suggested that we should teach on domestic violence in high school to prevent it being carried over into their adult life. However, that has changed to going into the elementary schools because children are acting out their issues at home in a public setting (schools, playgrounds, etc).
The more we teach on what domestic violence looks like for all ages, the more people will recognize the signs and hopefully through education, we can prevent it from continuing...one individual at a time. This education will, hopefully, will save our families and we will have emotionally healthy lives.
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