Power. Control. Domination. Superiority. 
      Abuse. Violence. Rape. Murder.

Domestic violence happens to people you know every day.  Maybe it has happened to you.  You may not recognize it, because it can take the form of emotional, verbal, economic or sexual abuse, in addition to physical harm. One out of three women will be abused by family members or intimate partners sometime in her life.  Males account for 15% of domestic violence victims.  

Domestic violence is often the beginning of worse outcomes for the victims.  Most sex trafficking survivors have already been abused in various ways at home before being sold for sex.  Some of the abused never make it out alive and become murder statistics.  Such was the case of Brittany Quinn.

Even as a young girl, Brittany was living life to the fullest, with a keen thirst for knowledge and relationships, a wide repertoire of skills and interests from horse breaking to logging to homemade herbal remedies to geology and medicine, and to people and their cultures. As an adult, she taught English in China, worked in the tsunami rescue efforts in Indonesia, volunteered her time as a massage therapist and tax preparer, and raised funds for Amnesty International with an 1164 mile walk up the Pacific coast.

Her most recent goals were to walk 1800 miles across New Zealand to get pledges for aiding the Christchurch earthquake suvivors and to join Doctors without Borders.

At 27, Brittany was murdered by her ex-husband on May 7, 2011.  Family and friends report that the man had already been verbally abusive and physically controlling of comings and goings from their California home, and she had left him at the encouragement of a friend.  He found her in the home of friends and shot her along with one other who was killed and one who was shot in the ankle.  Then, the attacker killed himself.

In the wake of mourning and remembering this remarkable young lady, her buddies have taken up where Brittany Quinn left off--taking a stand for those who are needy and helpless and without a voice.  Three of them, Kristin Nosel, Andrew Blake, and Edward Keyse will be doing a 1000 mile hike across the southeast, using the Trail of Tears route, to raise awareness about domestic violence.  

Using Facebook and other social media, these friends have begun a campaign called, "It's About Power".  Their media package explains:

The power for the abuser to feel like they're in control of the situation. The power for the abuser

to feel like they're in control of the victim. The power for the abuser to feel like they're in control of

themselves. The power for the abuser to feel like they're in control of their past or future. It's always

about power, and it's never really about the victim.
 

Abuse is not about if the bruises are bad enough. If the words are cruel enough. If the neglect

was deep enough. If the manipulations were clever enough. If the sex was rough enough. It's about

power. Every time.
 

If someone has tried to take your power over yourself - your feelings, your mind, your selfworth, your body, your safety, your money, your home, your children, your future - that is abuse. And if

you've ever taken someone else's power to increase your own, you are an abuser.
 

But abusers have the power to stop, and victims have the power to leave, and everyone

outside that cycle has the power to inform themselves and to do their part to spread the word that it's

not about "someone else's problem." It's about power.
 

And we have the power to change it.

The "Trail of Tears" hike will begin July 15 from Murphy, North Carolina.  The trek will take several weeks.  Arrangements are bieng made for the food and supplies and places to stay along the way for the hikers. There is a need for many items to be donated still, and for helping spread the word.   Those interested in helping sponsor this cause can contact the corporate coordinator at Laura.K.Radel@gmail.com  Visit the It's About Power Facebook page and give them a like.

Items needed:

• Lean bison meat or beef Bison or beef tallow 
• Starbucks Via 
• Dried unsweetened cherries 
• Electrolyte sport beans like Jelly Belly Extreme Sport Beans 
• Plain purple T-shirts: 3 women's small, 3 men's medium, 3 men's XL 
• Motel points or gift certificate at national chain for 1-2 nights. 
• 3 Greyhound bus gift certificates, points, miles or similar (Tulsa OK to Denver, CO one-way) 
• 3 Portable personal ultralight water filters 
• 3 Petzle Tikka or similar brand combination LED/xenon headlamps 
• Rechargable batteries for above 
• 6 pair men's small (shoe size 7.5) merino wool socks or similar lightweight absorbent hiking socks 
• 1 men's size small convertable ultralight cycling jacket (Pearl Izumi, Canary Eclipse, or similar)

Your participation and contribution may make a difference for the 8 million American women who will be sexually assaulted by an intimate partner this year, or the three women and 1 man who are likely to be killed through domestic violence each day.