Thanks for this, Professor. I WAS Cassie. After my Black ass had followed him to DC after graduation from our HBCU, cuz I thought he LOVED me -- he f*cked me up in his SE, DC apartment, which he shared with his light-skinned Mama & brother, who both hated me cuz I was TOO Black, on the regular (overheard her telling a friend of hers that on the phone one day). Wasn't until I looked in the mirror that day and saw my split lip and bloodshot right eye, that I put his own 357 Magnum, which he kept under his pillow, to his head while he slept that I realized -- if I didn't leave, he'd be dead and I'd be locked up for the rest of my life cuz I'd killed him.

The secretary where I'd gotten my first job told me to come and stay with her after she saw my my black eye when I showed up to work and told her what had happened -- I did. But her damned fat-assed boyfriend was a nasty-assed predator too. I woke up one night to him feeling my breasts as I slept on the couch, and when I told her about Arthur -- she said, "He'd never do anything like that -- you enticed him!"

I'd saved enough money for 1st, last and security and found a studio apartment just across the District line in Marlboro Heights where I could catch the bus to the subway and get to my new job in NW DC as a Secretary/Receptionist at a Journalism Center I didn't want to lose. I didn't tell anybody about it, until that Mofo kept showing up at my job. Finally, I told my boss the whole story. He protected me at work, telling Security to call the cops if homeboy ever showed up (which he did on several occasions. Why I don't hate ALL white folk). I'd moved to "Chocolate City" for him, AND because, coming from the Deep South, I saw so many possibilities! He told me to call him if and whenever I needed to. He, his family and the Armenian Executive Asst., Arnelle, with whom I worked on the monthly conferences for journalists we held, wrapped their arms around me and took care of me when I had no one else. I will be FOREVER grateful for them BELIEVING, HELPING AND SUPPORTING ME -- THE FIRST TIME! Because of them, I was able to move forward, later working at the Watergate Hotel (where our conferences were held) and later, enlisting in the Navy. He was ALWAYS my supporter and whenever the husband and I went to DC after moving to MD, we went to see him. He invited us to the conferences he was still having after I left and I got to see and sit down not only with his wife and grown-up daughter I'd known since she was a little girl, but also the DC diplomats and featured speakers on the dais.

That violence is real, Brother -- and many of us NEVER told it until it was more than we could bear.

Sorry for the long comment, but I felt this one -- personally.