Joy Leach- Domestic Violence

Hannah Baxter and her children’s passing has affected all of us deeply.That something so terrible can happen in our beautiful country, in our quiet suburban streets is something that I’m sure we are all having trouble coming to terms with.What though, of those who have walked before Hannah, in similar circumstances, but have survived the horror?Joy Leach (not her real name), is one such woman. Joy sat with me towards the end of last year to tell her courageous story of domestic violence. We thought it timely to share this with you now.Joy told me, that hearing Hannah’s family speak, felt a little like they could have been speaking for her, for her life, not so very long ago. She wonders how many other women out there are like Hannah and herself, who hope and pray things will get better.Thankfully Joy has lived to see a kind world. An anonymous person, recognising the effect this tragedy would have on Joy, sent her a beautiful bunch of flowers. The note simply read, ‘I know what you went through, stay strong’. If you were that person, know how loved you made Joy feel.Let's all work together to break the chain of domestic violence. It’s time to step up and speak out.