In 1989, when 28-year-old Fall River resident Leisha Sanford was beaten to death at the hands of her live-in boyfriend Thomas Estep, the words “domestic violence” were not household terms, and occasional violence between couples was rarely questioned.
Strides have been made in domestic violence awareness since then, but the education campaign continues, according to Pamela MacLeod-Lima, executive director of The Women’s Center in New Bedford.
“Throughout the ’70s and ’80s, no one talked about domestic violence, not only in just families, but in communities in general, and things that happened between a husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend were not talked about. The belief back then was what happens in a family stays in that family,” said MacLeod-Lima. “But enough education has come since then to teach us that not only can domestic violence happen to the person next door to us, but could happen to anyone, and with clear [...]

Original post by Jay Pateakos