Violence Against Women, pt. I (Predators)

¡Hola! Everybody,
I woke up this morning wanting to be wrapped in the arms of a woman -- to feel her soft translucent skin against mine. sheesh...

As promised, today is my first installment on my series on violence against women. I would like to first point out that it is impossible to tease out sexism and racism. Both are inextricably intertwined especially when it comes to women of color...

* * *

Predators
“It’s never right for a man to hit a woman.”
-- My Mother

Some of my earliest memories are of my mother using me as a shield so that my father would stop hitting her.

Fact: Every day four women die in this country as a result of domestic violence, the euphemism for murders and assaults by husbands and boyfriends. That’s approximately 1,400 women a year, according to the FBI. The number of women who have been murdered by their intimate partners is greater than the number of soldiers killed in the Vietnam War.

From early on, I knew too well the sound of fist on skin as my father pummeled my mother’s body, reaching around me to get at my mother. My parents were young, barely out of their teens living in a hostile society at best indifferent to their culture and way of life. I hold no resentments to either parent, and I love them dearly. But our story needs to be told so that others will not have to live in shame.

Please note that what I am about to disclose is not meant to put anyone down. I have no axe to grind, nothing to gain by posting the following, but I have a deeply felt sense that cowards who would prey on women need to be exposed. I had some strong reservations putting this out because I myself am a convicted felon and I believe that people should be given a chance to pick up the pieces of their lives. My crimes weren’t violent in nature, but I do feel my actions served helped undermine the foundations of the communities and the people I loved. I have since attempted to dedicate my life to giving back to those very same communities and have worked long and hard to create an inner transformation.

Fact: Although only 572,000 reports of assault by intimates are officially reported to federal officials each year, the most conservative estimates indicate two to four million women of all races and classes are battered each year. At least 170,000 of those violent incidents are serious enough to require hospitalization, emergency room care or a doctor's attention.

I find this is not true with some predators. Some men like to prey on women and that I cannot abide. Some of you may have read about the issue I had with an individual who calls himself “Bryson” or “William Bryson.” We had words and when he attempted to use intimidation tactics on me, I held him up to ridicule. I consider this man a coward and dangerous. Shortly after posting that blog, I received several private messages from women who claim that Bryson had abused them, or in some way preyed on them. At first, I was skeptical, too many people here have resentments. But too many women, who for obvious reasons, will not speak out, have told me this man has wronged them, stolen from them, and other wise taken from them.

Fact: Every year approximately 132,000 women report that they have been victims of rape or attempted rape, and more than half of them knew their attackers. It's estimated that two to six times that many women are raped, but do not report it. Every year 1.2 million women are forcibly raped by their current or former male partners, some more than once.

I always say, if everybody is calling you a horse, then you had better take a look back there, you might be growing a tail. Recently, I heard from another friend, Bryson is now hitting on teens on MySpace. I mean, it doesn’t take much to know if a girl is underage, especially if she’s wearing cheerleader costumes and the pictures say “High School” in the backdrop. Mind you, I am not saying he has committed any crime (this time), but it does call into question his character.

As for crimes, Mr. Bryson is a convicted woman beater. He was arrested more than once and convicted on at least one felony charge for what I consider violent acts against women (see the resources section at the end of this post). That itself shouldn’t be cause for this post. As I said, I believe in the redemptive powers of the human spirit. However, it seems that Bryson hasn’t changed much since his arrests and convictions.

Bullies are at their core cowards and weaklings. Any man that hits women is a coward. It's never okay for a man to hit a woman, even if she hits you. Sorry, but if you feel physically threatened by a woman enough to hit her, you're a fuckin' punk. an ex of mine once slapped me in the face -- possibly the worst thing you can do to me. I despise it. I would have rather she punched me -- but she slapped me. At that moment I jumped at her and in my heart I had hate. But my mother was right:

There is never an excuse for a man to hit a woman.

Period.

This is for all the women this creep has preyed on. This is for all the women he stole from and abused but were afraid to say anything for fear of retribution. This is for all the men who think it’s funny and masculine to hit women. What follows is a snapshot of a coward. What follows is Bryson uncovered:

He lives with his parents

Washes dishes at a country club in Missouri

Is a convicted woman beater (see “Resource” section below.

Never sees his child

Has screwed at least five women here on 360 -- in some instances the issue was so extreme that they closed off their pages.

He claims to have sold a script to DreamWorks that is being turned into a movie right now. However, he’s been claiming this for years. His latest ruse is to say the writer’s strike is pushing everything back. I doubt this man can write at a 7^th grade level, let alone at a level where a major Hollywood studio would consider him as a scriptwriter. In his words with me, for example, he didn’t know the difference between “there,” “their,” and “they’re,” or “no,” and “know.” He confuses “to,” “too,” and “two.” He must have a damned good editor, I say.

::blank stare::

Lastly, that caddy he’s driving? It’s in his mother’s name.

What motivates me to post this is that from what I see, Bryson hasn’t changed much from the time he was being arrested for beating women. He tried to bully me into submission, telling me I should “ask around” in order for me to get a better idea who I was “messin’ with.” We turned that phrase into a joke: “ask around.” Ask who, mafucca?!! In prison, people like him would ask to be housed in protective custody (“PC”) because in prison, those who prey on women become the prey. We used to call such people “bitches.”

I will end this by saying that if Bryson can prove me wrong, then I will detract my statements and like a man offer a public apology. My blog, unlike Bryson’s, is open for anyone to comment. Speak for yourself, Mr. Bryson. Or maybe you only get tough with women?

Love,

Eddie

Resources

This information is provided as a service and is not considered an official court record.

16CR98001196-01 - ST V WILLIAM N BRYSON

Charge/Judgment

Description: Aggravated Stalking- 1st Offense Or Stalking 2nd Offense { Felony D RSMo: 565.225 }

Date: 11/01/1997 Code: 3422000 Disposition: Guilty Plea - 08/24/1998

OCN: 97006050

Sentence

Sentence: Incarceration DOC

Sentence Date: 10/22/1998 Start Date: 10/22/1998 Length: 3 Years

Text: CVCF, $46.00, and Shock Incarceration Program

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Facility Name: PROBATION Agency: MO BOARD OF PROBATION & PAROLE

Outcome: SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED

Start Date: 02/16/1999 Assigned Length: 3 Years

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Facility Name: SHOCK INCARCERATION Agency: MO BOARD OF PROBATION & PAROLE

Classification: REPORT ORDERED

Outcome: RELEASE GRANTED

Start Date: 10/19/1998 Assigned Length: 120 Days Completed Date: 02/16/1999

Next Charge/Judgment

Description: Violation Of Order Of Protection For Adult { Misdemeanor A RSMo: 455.085 }

Date: 10/16/1997 Code: 2608400 Disposition: Guilty Plea - 08/24/1998

OCN: 97006050

Sentence

Sentence: Incarceration DOC

Sentence Date: 10/22/1998 Start Date: 10/22/1998 Length: 120 Days

Text: Concurrent to : count 1