Stop Physical Violence Against women

Recently I witnessed a father slap his daughter across the face. She was practising with another girl in the judo jo at school, when he called her off, spoke to her and then hit her hard in front of everyone. I was deeply hurt but no one said anything. Apart from the language barrier, it would have been difficult for me to intervene because she is a junior high school student. Her sister is a student at our high school and he takes the younger one there to practice with the older girls, while he sits and watch.

A few days later when I remebered the incident I realized how deeply hurt I was because all the old memories started surfacing and I started bawling in front of the computer at school. I remembered how my father used to beat my sisters and I in public. He would use belts, slippers, sticks, fan belts and a cow cod. I remembered one day a shandy bottle hit me on the nose from across the counter in the bar. I never knew what hit me until I saw the bottle spinning on the shelf. I remembered his friend who witnessed it saying, "No you shouldn't do that". Another time I decided to count the number of licks I was going to get and I stopped when they reached fifty. Not only was it humiliating, but it made me feel worthless and I still have a scar that he left me with on my leg.

Fortunately, at that time I was reading some empowerment material when the writer said that no matter how much material you read, changes will not occur until you take action, right where you are. Suddenly it dawned on me that it was not too late. I see these people almost everyday so I can talk to her father about it. I had to plan what I was going to say to him and after building up the courage, I did it. I
said "Mukai san, jikan ga arimasuka? choto hanashi ii deuka? Mukashi wa, Jamica de , kodomo no toki ni, chichi wa, watashini, takusan no tataku dashimashita. Juyon nen mae, chichiwa shinda. Ima made itai desu, hontoni itai desu. Kangaete kudasai"

It means, "Mr. Mukai, do you have a moment? May I talk to youa little. A long time ago when I was a little girl in Jamaica, my father used to beat me alot. My father died 14 years ago but even now it hurts. It really hurts. Please think about it."

I hope that its impact will be twofold. I would like him to consider if that is the legacy he wants and I would like him to know that it is not O. K. for him to hit her in front of me.

Yesterday I cried, today I took action.
When you see a man violating a woman, what do you do/what will you do?

Anette