The Day It Happened Analysis

Domestic abuse has plagued humanity for thousands of years. Sadly, women are the overwhelming majority of abuse victims. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, every nine seconds in the United States, a woman is beaten or assaulted. One in three women have been victims of physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. These are staggering and shocking statistics, and demonstrates that domestic violence is still a very prevalent problem in our society. In “The Day It Happened”, Rosario Morales illustrates a tragic situation of Josie, a domestic abuse victim, and the day that she decided to leave her situation. This story highlights three issues in domestic violence: manipulation, children and denial. Manipulation is a huge factor in domestic violence. How would someone get away with physically abusing another human being without manipulating them into believing that what they are doing …show more content…
This has to do with themselves and their abuser. Josie rationalizes Ramon’s unacceptable behavior and almost seems to defend him when she says, “‘[h]e can’t help himself. He doesn’t mean it “‘ (Morales 3). This is common in abusive relationships. According to Dr. Kathleen Young, a psychologist specializing in the treatment and aftermath of trauma, a victim may rationalize by blaming one’s self for a few reasons. Abuse is by nature a very humiliating and dehumanizing experience. Therefore, it is a natural reaction for the victim to blame themselves for the inhumane treatment. Josie exhibits this behavior, and from what readers can convey in the story, she probably will continue to do so. The way she prepared him dinner before she left gives a hint that she may feel guilty for leaving him, and may blame herself for his anger and violence. Of course, that is not true, but in abusive situations, it is easy to lose sight of your rights as a human being and your