When O.J. Simpson was acquitted for the 1994 murder of his ex-wife and her friend in his criminal trial, many feared that the verdict would send a message to abusers that they can get away with murder. Another chilling lesson of the Simpson case is that even when women do everything right, everything society tells them to, they can end up murdered—unless outside intervention by law enforcement, criminal justice, and other community sources takes swift and firm action to stop the batterer. Nicole Brown Simpson wisely kept Polaroids of her battered face and a letter O.J. had written apologizing for (and thereby acknowledging) beating her in a safe deposit box. She told friends and family members what was happening, and gained their support. She
