Janine Latus shares her family's story
David Wilder The East Carolinian Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: News
Former journalist, Janine Latus, gave an emotionally-charged speech Monday and shared personal insights found in her novel, "If I am Missing or Dead: A Sister's Story of Love, Murder and Liberation" with a crowd in Hendrix Theatre.
Before the speech began, Cheryl Dudasik-Wiggs, director of the women's studies program, told listeners that the speech they we going to hear could be very valuable to them.
"The information that you will receive in the next hour could save a life," Dudasik-Wiggs said.
Last year, there was an estimated 77 domestic violence-related homicides in NC, according to the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
Latus spoke about the abusive relationships in which her sister was involved in, which ended tragically.
"Today, Ron Ball and I are romantically involved, but I fear I have placed myself at risk in a variety of ways. Based on his criminal past, writing this out just seems like the smart thing to do. If I am missing or dead, this obviously has not protected me."
These words were found taped inside the desk drawer of Latus's younger sister, Amy, 10 weeks before she lost her life to domestic violence.
Latus's speech also touched on her own experience with abusive relationships, citing an ex-boyfriend as being violent. She told stories of broken ribs, a broken nose, black eyes and rape.
She said a parent physically abused her after she babysat his child, and Latus's father was not sympathetic.
"Never tell anyone, or they'll think you're a slut," her father told her.
She offered advice to the crowd, saying, "It's far better to be without a man than to be with a bad man."
"One in four American women will be battered," Latus said. To demonstrate the statistic visually, she had one-fourth of the crowd stand up.
And although most people have a stereotype in their minds about who gets battered, a lot of middle class American women get battered, according to Latus.
The first signal of potential domestic violence is often control, Latus said.
"Women in abusive relationships often tell themselves, 'The reason I'm putting up with this is because I can't be alone,' but let me tell you, liberation is glorious," Latus said.
Latus' book began as an article in O, The Oprah Magazine, and has been translated into five languages.
"Her speech was sad and scary, especially since I'm a woman. But it was definitely worth coming to," said Cristina Graziano, marketing major.
Amy's Courage Fund, part of the National Network to End Domestic Violence, collects resources to donate to victims of domestic abuse.
