Have You Seen This? Photographer As Witness - A Portrait of Domestic Violence

[eggplant]

9. When I've seen it, I've stepped in.

I'm probably lucky that I've been able to talk them down (thus far), but I'm not a big guy, and they could easily hurt me, or worse. Interestingly, acknowledging that fact in a calm and unafraid voice been enough to get them to back down. The threat of violence is meant to strike fear into you, to control you. When that doesn't work, they calm down a bit.

Then again, the people I've dealt with have been assholes, but not morons. Even in their hyped up state, they know that taking a swing at me couldn't possibly be justified later, and they know that I wouldn't hesitate to press charges and see them thrown in the slammer. Morons, on the other hand, really wouldn't think that through, so it's always scary.