Today, November 25, 2022, is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. I only know this because one of my client’s sent a companywide email about the day. The fact that this client takes the time to recognize days such as this is one of the many reasons that I am extremely committed to the client.
I remember when I was at EY, I was talking to a partner in a high position within EY’s “FAAS” organization. I can no longer remember what FAAS stands for, but it is the group that I worked in. We were talking about community involvement, and I shared that I am heavily involved in helping women and minorities through domestic issues. She told me that this is a waste of time as this is not good networking, and that if anyone held the idea that I was a victim of abuse that it could reflect poorly on me and negatively impact my career.
This particular data point on her is one of many that suggests a lack integrity and morals. Tone deaf is a solid depiction of her. Her greed, treatment of others, and fake behaviors that conflict with her actual actions are outright shocking. She is one of those people that are habitually rude to people in the service industry. She believes she has earned the right to be waited on hand and foot. Needless to say, I believe this woman is nothing short of an opportunistic monster. I whole heartedly believe that hell waits for her.
I wonder what made her the way that she is. Was she born selfish and cruel? Was she the victim of domestic violence? She might think that she was born without everything that she wanted in life, but she was born her in America. America is still the land of opportunity. In contrast to our lives in America, women all over the world are born into unthinkable circumstances without opportunity.
The email that went out from my client stated that 1 in 3 women around the world are victims of abuse at some point in their lives. I honestly fear that statistic is understated. I think of what my grandfather did to my grandmother over the years, and it breaks my heart, yet it pales in comparison to what young girls in Iran are enduring at this very moment. These young Iranian girls do not have someone like my father to stand up for them. As a child, I witnessed my father telling his own abusive father that he ever laid a hand on me or one of the other children that he would kill him. My father meant it.
My father broke the cycle of abuse in his blood line. He was a gentle, kind man. I think the amazing influence of my father’s eldest brother played a role in the man that my father became. I also think that my father’s inner strength and intelligence shaped him. The cycle of abuse ending in my blood line is not the norm. The norm is that the cycle continues.
Shame on people like the EY Monster that re-victimize women who speak up about domestic violence. I think today is a day to stop and think. It is a day to stop and think about how fortunate many of us are to be born in safe homes, free of violence. It is a day to stop and think about the world. It is a day to learn more about how we can help. I think the first step to helping is not making victims of victims by judging them for being abused. Please take moment to read more about violence against women.