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Let death of woman serve as
domestic abuse reminder

To the editor:
Hats off to the Star Herald staff for choosing to print the article about Joanne Olson's tragic death. Had you chosen not to print it, the truth about her life of fear and terrorizing death would not have become known.

Domestic violence-related deaths such as Joanne's occurred at least 31 times throughout Minnesota last year, but we also have victims of domestic violence in our community who are suffering silently each day such as JoAnne did until her death.

Maybe only Daryl knows why he chose to murder Joanne, but certainly his reasoning had nothing to do with her or the fact that she had asked for his help around the home. Daryl and other batterers do the terrible actions that they do because they believe that they have the right to.

Please let Joanne's life of terror and tragic death serve as a reminder that any of us could at any time unwittingly become a victim of domestic violence since domestic violence crosses all lines of gender, age, religion and culture. Also her death reminds us that domestic violence almost always escalates until the batterer takes responsibility for his/her actions, the victim takes action or death results.

Domestic violence-related injuries (mental, sexual or physical) and/or deaths will continue to happen until society (US!) dictates that it is not OK and will not be tolerated here or anywhere anymore. The good news is that domestic violence can be unlearned, like any other negative behavior, before tragedies like Joanne's happen.

Raevette Loonan
Southwest Crisis Center
Luverne

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