Domestic Violence Toolkit   Tags: criminal_law, domestic_violence  

I Got Flowers Today (author unknown)

I got flowers today. 
It wasn’t my birthday or any other special day.
We had our first argument last night,
He said a lot of cruel things that really hurt me.
I know that he is sorry and didn’t mean the things he said.
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today. 
It wasn’t our anniversary or any other special day.
Last night, he threw me into a wall and started to choke me.
It seemed like a nightmare.
I couldn’t believe that it was real.
I woke up this morning sore and bruised all over.
I know that he must be sorry.
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today.
And it wasn’t Mother’s Day or any other special day.  
Last night, he beat me up again.
And it was much worse than all the other times.
If I leave him, what will I do?  
How will I take care of my kids?  
What about money?  
I’m afraid of him and scared to leave.  
But I know he must be sorry.  
Because he sent me flowers today.

I got flowers today.  
Today was a very special day.
It was the day of my funeral.
Last night, he finally killed me.
He beat me to death.
If only I had gathered   
Enough courage and strength to leave him.
I would not have gotten flowers today.

Belinda Jones is a third-year law student at Georgia State College of Law.  My interest in this subject began with an externship with Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers that afforded me training in both domestic violence and the protective order procedure.

A woman is battered every four seconds in this country. 

This online legal bibliography is an assignment for Professor Nancy Johnson’s Advanced Legal Research class at Georgia State University College of Law.   Its subject is domestic violence, focusing particularly on the protective federal and Georgia laws.  The goal of this page is to provide both victims the tools they need to protect themselves and their families and to provide attorneys with the procedural tools needed to protect their clients.

Bibliographies on this Web site were prepared for educational purposes by law students as part of Nancy P. Johnson's Advanced Legal Research course. The Law Library does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information provided. Thorough legal research requires a researcher to update materials from date of publication; please note the semester and year the bibliography was prepared.