copyright 2009 by Amber Columbia (AKL)
Berkshire County, Massachusetts is gentrified and cultured. It's the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra at Tanglewood. The rolling hills and mountains, green against an unpolluted sky, are the backdrops for institutions boasting academic excellence such as Williams College and Bard. It's year round residents include "Sweet Baby James" Taylor and during the summer, the population explodes with well-healed visitors, mostly from New York City. Artist Norman Rockwell was "South County's" most famous resident. His sentimental paintings of the men, women, children, and places in Berkshire County are loved worldwide.
This morning, "I read the news today, oh boy!" On the front page of the Berkshire Eagle, the news that surprised no one but saddened all. Rebecca Moulton, 27, who had lived in one of Pittsfield's poorer neighborhoods, was dead and her 41 year old live-in boyfriend, David Vincent, stands accused. His violent nature is known to police because he had been arrested for beating her last fall.
Moulton had been severely beaten and was found in her Pittsfield apartment on Wednesday morning. Her injuries included a subdural hematoma, fractured ribs and lacerations to the liver. Vincent's lawyer claims his client is very upset about her death. We may never know why Rebecca Moulton stayed with this violent man, what we do know is this young woman is gone, cheated of life, assigned to eternity.
According to the American Bar Association, between 1998 and 2002, "Males were 83% of spouse murderers and 75% of dating partner murderers.." The statistics are stunning, "50% of offenders in state prison for spousal abuse had killed their victims. Wives were more likely than husbands to be killed by their spouses: wives were about half of all spouses in the population in 2002, but 81% of all persons killed by their spouse".
In 2002, the Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted a survey of 500 young women, ages 15 to 24, and discovered the disturbing news that 60 percent were currently involved in recurring abusive relationships.
Domestic violence isn't something that touches only the poor, under educated, or annonymous American. Actor and BOXER Mickie Rourke was arrested in July 1994 charged that he alledgedly had slapped and kicked Carre Otis, his wife.
"James Brown was arrested for domestic violence two months after women's rights advocates lodged a protest with the prestigious Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, objecting to Brown's inclusion among the 2003 honorees".
And of course, there is Chris Brown and OJ Simpson. Brown had a history of committing violence against women;his alleged attack on girlfriend Rihanna was the last in many.
We know and have heard the case against OJ Simpson, ad nauseum. His late wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ron Goldman were brutally murdered in 1994. There was a history of domestic violence in the Simpson household and photographs documenting Nicole's bruises from previous beatings were made public during the OJ Simpson trial.
Domestic violence includes women hurting men and gay partner violence as well. In 1997, Phil Hartman was at the top of his game. Then, in May 1998, the Saturday Night Live starwas murdered by his wife, Brynn. More recently (2001), Richard Hatch, the first Survivor winner was found guilty of domestic assault in which he allegedly shoved his ex-boyfriend down a flight of stairs.
Photos, above: Left David Vincent, right a painting by Frida Kahlo circa 1936 "Just a Few Snips", about spousal abuse and murder. Below, Nicole Brown Miller, Richard Hatch, Rihanna.
References:
American Bar Association http://www.abanet.org/domviol/statistics
Mickey Rourke http://www.absolutenow.com/mugshots/mickey_rourke.html
Battered woman syndrome http://www.divorcenet.com/states/oregon/or_art02
James Brown http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1706/
Addition on June 23, 2009. From A TWITTER-ER ABUSE IS NEVER ACCEPTABLE,
Work_It_Mom "Abuse is never acceptable".
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