Thank you so much for all of your warm welcomes! Much appreciated.
Sparky, I am aware of your connection to Michelle (from reading here) and I am very sorry that you are going through this. My heart aches for her family as well. It bothered me a lot in the beginning when some were intent on blaming the victim and the victims family. Women that find themselves in an abusive relationship are not somehow "flawed" or at fault. I blame society and the media for this opinion with the constant images of violence against women , people are more desensitized than they realize. The oversexualization of women in pop culture and the media is also to blame for this, reducing them to expendable eye candy. Violence against women is not only rampant in our culture it is at times, excepted subconciously through desensitization. Why is it so difficult for some to see the outright manipulation and controlling ways of an abuser?
Women in abusive relationships are in the most danger when they leave. That is a statistical fact, and 70% of male abusers that threaten suicide or harm actually DO IT. Wasn't Dale the type to threaten suicide in times of desperation with the women in his life?
In any event, when I first read about Michelle's case it was very clear to me that something was very much "off" about DS jr. His behavior is classic abuser and I have no doubt that he is absolutely responsible for whatever happened to her. I think he was humiliated after watching the episode and he was seething right before she came over. She was happy, healthy, moving on, in a new relationship, and wanted nothing to do with him other than what she had to do custody wise.
He could not STAND that.
I don't know how he did it, but he did it, and I believe that all will come to light sooner than later.
It blows my mind that he shoved that reporter on his way in to a child welfare hearing. If I were that social worker ( that is what I am currently getting my degree in) I would have brought that up in court as soon as I found out about it, and would have argued that he clearly has no control over his temper and aggressive tendencies. It is very difficult to have a child removed from the custody of a parent, but I believe that the judge made a huge mistake in this case. He should have allowed them to stay in the only home they knew, with Yvonne to avoid any further disruption and emotional turmoil.
I always thought that the fact that Michelle was about to introduce her new boyfriend to her father and family had something to do with DS jr snapping. It was the final straw, he knew that she didn't want him anymore. That coupled with his embarrassing People's Court performance made him go where he had been threatening to go the entire time he dated Michelle. Abuse escalates and more women die at the hands of the men in their lives than we care to really digest.
I hope they find Michelle soon so that her family and friends can have some answers.
