Recently I pulled into a parking space at a local business. I had four children with me. After we got out of my vehicle, we witnessed a man verbally abusing a woman in a vehicle near mine. His verbal assault included much profanity. I reminded him there were children present, but he refused to tone down his language. I then asked the woman if she was OK; she said she was. I reminded her she shouldn’t have to put up with his abuse.

I called their vehicle’s license plate number to the police to report the incident, as I was afraid for the woman’s safety. While en route to me, the officer checked the address connected to the license plate, and discovered there had been numerous visits from police about domestic violence, all connected to the owner of the vehicle.

The saddest part of all, as I learned from the officer, is that the woman in question has never filed charges against the man and always denies anything has taken place.

Fortunately, I have never been the victim of domestic violence, and can only imagine the horrors. But women need to know they do not need to put up with being someone’s physical or emotional punching bag; there is help out there.

People do care, even if a spouse or partner doesn’t, or has a really peculiar way of showing it.

Nancy Legere, Gorham