Hello, everyone. My name is Lyn, and I'll be writing about Domestic Violence each month in this newsletter. I'll give you a little background information about myself : I teach 6th grade students at a Middle School in Florida. I was blessed with three beautiful daughters, and they are my pride and joy, my reason for waking up and breathing each day. Lindsay just celebrated her 19th birthday, and Lesley just celebrated her 13th birthday.

My firstborn child, Lauren, celebrated her 22nd birthday on February 17, 1999. She is the reason I'm writing this column. You see, I've been learning about Domestic Violence due to necessity. Lauren was violently murdered by her husband on April 13, 1999. Lauren's story is a long one, and is tragic. If you would like to know more about my beloved Lauren, you can visit the memorial web site I've made for her by clicking on the button below:

In the coming issues, I plan to cover many aspects of Domestic Violence. If any readers would like to request certain topics, you can e-mail me at: laurensmom@iname.com and I will try to honor as many requests as I can in the column.

If you know anyone who is in a relationship involving Domestic Violence, please urge them to get out of that situation as quickly as they can. There are safe houses -- places of refuge -- in most communities across the United States. Most local telephone directories have a section listing agencies offering help for victims of domestic violence. If that information isn't readily available, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or, for the hearing impaired, call 1-800-787-3224. These hotlines are open 24 hours a day, and are staffed by trained volunteers who can tell you where to go for help.

Click on the oval above, to read Lauren's story.