October is Domestic Abuse Month
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DYERSBURG, Tenn. – According to the Dyersburg Police the number on domestic violence cases in Dyersburg has increased. For the month of September the department has already seen 91 cases of domestic violence and 17 related arrests. Jennifer Keel is a survivor of domestic abuse and said she knew she had to leave her husband of six years after he tried to kill her. “He attacked me. He put his hands around my neck and he tried to strangle me,” said Keel. Keel said there are signs before the physical abuse starts. “They don’t start out abusing you they promise you the moon and the stars then it just comes out. It starts with verbal abuse after you get married they start nitpicking you.” Keel said she was lucky to have found Northwest Safe Line, the non-profit organization gave her a safe place to stay and helped her with counseling. Program Coordinator, Ellen Goff said one of the hardest parts of her job is rebuilding a victim’s self-confidence. “The man is the bread winner. If they don’t leave, they don’t really know how their going to support themselves and or their children,” said Goff. Northwest Safe Line caseworkers said they are working 43 cases in Dyer County, 22 of them are children, 17 women, and 3 men. Jennifer Keel said the victim has to put in work to get their life back and to put and end to the abuse. “I have lots of help in this community and I’m doing good and I’m not looking back,” said Keel.
