Nightmares 50 years on
Monday, 10 December 2007
Posted By Jim Tattersall

PETER Mason's letter (``Beyond reasonable limits'', Herald 5/12) cannot go unchallenged.
He argues that a reasonable time limit should apply to cases of ``minor'' domestic violence. It is obvious Mr Mason has not been in a domestic violence situation and does not realise the lifetime of mental trauma it
brings for family members. Mr Mason should put himself in my situation as an 8-year-old boy pleading with his father not to beat his mother to a pulp. In my case this happened over 50 years ago and I still have flashbacks and nightmares. Domestic violence whether ``minor'' or otherwise should not be tolerated as the mental
trauma extends way beyond the perpetrator and victim and can go on for well over 20 years for
family members.