Stop the Abuse!

A woman suffering from spousal abuse leaves her husband an average of seven times. Yes, that’s right. She goes back to the same man, with the same anger issues and same form of abuse an average of seven times. Most psychologist would tell you she does this for one of two reasons, if not both.


First, she knows no different. Her form of punishment from her own parents was more than likely abusive and she thinks that the behavior is normal. Or her self esteem is so low that she doesn’t think she is good enough to get someone else. She is just happy to have someone to “love” her. Usually the abuse leads to the low self esteem and the low self esteem leads to the abuse and it becomes cyclical.

I tis sick.  It is wrong.  Why does she put up with this?

But before we judge… isn’t this the same thing going on in our own lives day after day, week after week? How many times have you been to a department store and received horrible service? How recently have you been in one of these “super” centers to receive less than “super” assistance? How often do you wonder around the store aimlessly trying to find an employee who can answer your questions, help you find a product or do a price check?

Isn’t it the same thing? Don’t misunderstand me. Let me make this extremely clear! Getting bad service is nothing compared to being abused by someone who claims to love you. However, there are similarities in the way both are treated.

The abused woman keeps going back. So do we. Some of us every day. Some every week. Have you asked yourself why?

The abused woman doesn’t know any different. Can anyone remember where you used to buy crayons before these super department stores came into existence? Maybe we just don’t know there is a different way.  A different place to shop.

The abused woman doesn’t know how to get the abuse to stop. Maybe we don’t either. But maybe, just maybe, if we all banned together to make it stop we can make a difference. What would happen if we all demanded better service, better response times, better everything when we visit these stores?

I, for one, will not take it any longer. I refuse to be treated this way. I have gone back to the abuse way more than seven times and I say it is enough. I pledge to find another way.  A better way.  A way to buy the things I need without being treated with less than stellar service.  I deserve better.  So do you.

 “Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone.” - Author unknown.