My brother is an angry person. A violent person. He kicks holes in the walls when something upsets him. He has a quick temper and his moods are volatile and unpredictable. I have been a victim of that anger. Once, a few days after I got in a car accident, my brother beat me. I packed and tried to leave, but he ran after me. When I attempted to drive away, my mom stood in front of the car and refused to let me leave. She believed him over me. To this day she thinks I lied about it just to hurt my brother.

Later, I got into another argument with him and he warned me that since he is now over twenty-one that I should be careful. He said any adult could own a gun and for all I know he slept with one under his pillow, so I shouldn't anger him. Both my parents were in the room and for some reason they still don't believe he would ever hurt me. I filed for a Peace Order that would legally forbid my brother from contacting me. Again, my parents chose him over me. They thought he was the victim because I had betrayed the family by going to the police.

At court the judge dismissed my case. He did not believe my life had been threatened or was in danger. He practically laughed at me. I was petrified of my brother and afraid for my life, but the "justice" system did nothing.