(You do not need
our permission to reprint this but we would appreciate a note letting
us know when and where, Thanks, Shelly and Dr. Marshall)
Press
Release: National AudianceFor Immediate Release Subject:
Spousal/Partner
Abuse, Help via the Internet, www.YouAreATarget.com Contact: Shelly
Marshall (801) 754-3476;
daybyday@sisna.com You Are A Target, Not a Victim: Stopping
Domestic Abuse NOW If someone drew back a
bow
and arrow and aimed it at you, would you stand still for target
practice?Of course not, yet that’s what
over four
million people, mostly women, do every year according to the Department
of
Justice. Long suffering wives and husbands stand still while their
partners
shoot verbal and emotional assaults, targeting them with their
hostility. The
painful arrows they hurl consist of name-calling, angry outbursts, put
downs,
unrelenting criticism, unwarranted accusations, and intimidation
through threats
and the destruction of property. The home should be a
safe
haven, but for millions of men and women it is any thing but. Although
domestic
violence has received a lot of attention,
information about domestic abuse
has lagged. Now there is a web site that addresses verbal and emotional
abuse.YouAreATarget.com teaches
the targets of
abuse how to respect themselves enough not to allow their partners to
mistreat
them. A best selling Utah
author
(over 2 million books) and lecturer in addictions, Shelly Marshall’s
inspiration for the website came from personal experience with an
abusive
husband. Her first impulses were to deny it and then keep silent, but
it only
grew worse. Desperate for information on how to stop it, she tried many
approaches including trial and error, professional help, books, and
researching
the web. She even joined a Domestic Violence group, but their emphasis
was
protection from battering—not stopping verbal abuse. Marshall
eventually
discovered the “self-empowering secrets” that liberated her from the
abuse.
“Abuse can be stopped dead in its tracks,” she explained, “but most
women don’t
know this. They consider themselves victims and victims have to
be
rescued, they can’t help themselves.” The site encourages
women not
to call themselves “victims.” They are “targets” of someone else’s
aggression
and they must learn to stop the target practice. The self-empowering
secrets
are available at YouAreATarget.com. Visitors will discover the “Miracle
Principle,” answers to frequently asked questions, blogs on abuse
topics,
suggestions on how to stop abuse, handouts, and links to relevant
information. Psychologist Michael
J.
Marshall, Shelly’s brother, co-hosts the website. Dr. Marshall,
Professor of
Psychology and Clinical Psychologist in private practice (Wheeling,
WV), has
researched and published on family abuse, as well as treated many abuse
clients. He authored the book Why Spanking Doesn’t Work:Stopping This Bad Habit and Getting the Upper
Hand on Effective Discipline. The Marshalls have pooled their
experiences
and professional knowledge to develop this website. They are joined by a
team of
experts who specialize in related fields. John Prin, a licensed Alcohol
and
Drug Counselor, in the Twin Cities area, speaks widely on the
destructive
patterns of secret keeping. His recent book, Stolen Hours,
addresses
those who act out secret self-defeating behaviors. Leah Solera, a
spiritual
advisor from Spokane, is also a Hypnotherapist who has helped many
clients
overcome physical and sexual abuse. She is currently writing and
consulting on abuse topics. “Women who live as
targets of
their partner’s hostility have learned to accept unacceptable treatment
for a
variety of reasons,” says Ms. Marshall, “Yet the truth is, most people
do NOT
allow themselves to be mistreated. And that is what this site is all
about--teaching men and women not to stand still for target practice
any
longer. The best way to stop being a target of abuse is to not allow it
in the
first place.
