|
Love Hurts, details a mother's worst nightmare. Last summer British
mother-of-two, ALISON SCHULTZ fled from her American home in Staten Island,
New Jersey after her husband EDDIE had repeatedly beaten her over a
five-year period. Returning home to Preston she gradually settled back into
her life, trying to put her abusive marriage behind her. This happy ending
turned out to be just the beginning of Alison's struggle to escape her
abusive husband
.
Despite being wanted by the authorities after a pub
brawl in Britain, Eddie managed to obtain Legal Aid and pursued his wife
relentlessly through the British courts. The courts' judgment forced
Alison, under the Hague Convention, to return to the US. From being an
abused wife, she'd become an international child abductor. "I
thought, having the courage to leave this marriage and the violence, that
I'd done the right thing," she explains. The courts didn't agree. |
|
|
In America, Alison hired a new lawyer and further legal proceedings were
set in motion. Eddie, unable to afford a lawyer, employed a strange
character called JOHN MIDDLETON from the National Coalition for the Rights
of Men. Confident that Alison was at fault, Middleton nevertheless claims
he would immediately take Alison's side if Eddie became violent.
Meanwhile at home, daughter EMILY was caught in the
middle of the battle. She was profoundly affected by her father's actions
and chillingly recalls: "One day my daddy put his hand over my
mummy's mouth so she couldn't breathe". Alison points to evidence of
Eddie's temper in the house: "He'd been aggravated about some cheque
he'd been given and he couldn't cash it and he came and he proceeded to
kick the radiator, he hit the microwave as well ... big dent".
At the meeting to discuss the terms of their separation, arguments mount
concerning custody, Alison's family, and the money from the sale of the
house. Eddie resented the fact that Alison comes from a wealthy
background. "Your family is loaded beyond the gills" he
exclaims. He benefited from this wealth, however, when an agreement was
made giving Eddie $25,000, the family home (bought with Alison's money),
an assurance to pay off his credit card debts and an agreement for the
children to be flown over to America twice a year at Alison's parents'
expense. In return Eddie, grudgingly, allowed the children to go home.
|
|
|
But later Eddie's anger spilled over into violent action. BARBARA CARUSO,
Alison's neighbour describes the assault she witnessed: "I saw her
husband drag her out by her hair, throw her down the steps and kick her in
the head... I screamed to my husband call 911 because he's going to kill
her," she recalls.
In hiding, the hotel and legal bills have mounted up until judgment day
arrives in court. To get to this point has cost Alison's family over
$100,000 in legal fees alone. This time the judge ruled in Alison's favour
and the nightmare was over. After years of fear and abuse, Alison was free
to return home with her children.
|
|
|
