521 "No Good at Saying Sorry (One More Chance)"

Seventeen. Seventeen bullets. Six year-old Maddy Carlson shot her father SEVENTEEN times. Yikes. In the episode 521, "No Good at Saying Sorry (One More Chance)," Maddy comes to Seattle Grace in an ambulance with her mother Kate and father Mike. Mike has sustained multiple wounds and internal injuries from the gunshots to his chest, abdomen, and back. His wife, Kate, comes in with a bullet graze on her arm while Maddy, his daughter, has a laceration on her cheek. Kate tells the authorities that Mike forgot to put away his gun after target practice in the backyard, and Maddy picked it up, accidentally shooting him, unable to stop.

But was it really an "accident"? Our doctors learn that Maddy and her mother are victims of domestic violence. Maddy intentionally shot her father seventeen times in order to stop him from further hitting her and her mother. The cut on Maddy's face? Her father hit her.

Domestic violence (also known as "intimate partner violence") is a crime defined by abusive behaviors which occur between family members or loved ones.

In our episode, Meredith tells Kate that she cannot let this event be her daughter's "story." Meredith feels that Kate needs to make things right for Maddy. Unfortunately, common misperceptions exist on domestic violence, leaving the crime to be typically unreported.

Domestic violence only consists of physical abuse.

Domestic violence may consist of the following situations:

    * Physical (Hitting, kicking, biting, burning, throwing objects, forced sexual acts)
    * Verbal threats
    * Emotional abuse (Downgrading one's self-worth, criticism, insulting names)
    * Intimidation (Gestures, weapons -- anything that communicates intent to harm)
    * Isolation (Prohibiting interactions with others, not permitting one to leave)
    * Neglect (Denying attention for medical care)

Domestic violence is not that common.

Research shows that roughly four to five million women experience some form of domestic violence each year, and men account for three million of yearly assaults. And, according to the CDC, 1,544 deaths resulted from domestic violence in 2004.

An apology fixes the problem.

Domestic abuse usually occurs as a cycle of violence. After the assault, the abuser experiences guilt, he or she may apologize, giving excuses and promising to never act out again. Things may return to normal for a period of time, but then, the cycle will only begin again.

If it were that bad, the abused partner would just leave.

There are several reasons the victim would not leave, which include subsequent violence, economic needs, and lack of outside support. The most dangerous time for a woman who is being abused is when she tries to leave (DoJ National Survey, 1995).

So, how does one get help? Well, making the decision to ask for help happens to be one of the most difficult steps. Contacting the local police (or 911 depending on the severity of the circumstance) will help one reach safety. The police help get victims to domestic violence shelters and programs where people can help those to get back on one's feet and stay in touch with a support system. There is hope for a better life.

Thankfully, Kate does make the right choice for herself and her daughter -- they leave Mike. While he may have a slow and painful recovery, Kate and Maddy said goodbye, walking out to find Maddy a better story...

Break the silence, stop the violence.