Last Tuesday, April 8th, team members of the San Saba Domestic Violence Task Force (SSDVTF) held their regular monthly meeting with special recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Several community members were also present to show their interest and support of this important event. In recognition of National Crime Victims' Week, April 13th-19th, the SSDVTF featured a proclamation by County Judge Byron Theodosis and a heart-wrenching story from a Brownwood woman whose daughter was murdered by her husband in 2004.

The SSDVTF is comprised of several state and local organizations, and serves as a multidisciplinary approach to end domestic violence in San Saba County. Representatives from programs or agencies, such as the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA), New Horizons, Off the Beaten Path Ministries of San Saba, San Saba Police and Sheriff's Departments, Family Services Center of Brownwood, and the Taylor Clinic, as well as any interested community members, form the foundation of SSDVTF.

This task force is in partnership with the Dove Project, San Saba's domestic violence shelter program. SSDVTF's purpose is to work to promote effective strategies in education, intervention, and prevention of domestic violence, in order to promote positive outcomes for the victims and our community.

SSDVTF's goal is to make San Saba County a leader in education and prevention of domestic violence in rural Texas, and to accomplish this through community, local, and regional support. This task force embraces any and all agencies, individuals, and community groups that are willing and able to contribute to this mission.

The highlight of this meeting was the speaker, Andrea Moore of Brownwood, whose daughter, Becky, was murdered several years ago. For the next half-hour, everyone present listened intently while Mrs. Moore told an abbreviated version of Becky’s story. Meet Becky . . . a victim of domestic violence.

As a child, Becky was a redheaded precocious little girl who loved everyone and everything around her. She never met a stranger and this really worried her parents, even as Becky became older. Becky was home-schooled for awhile and eventually attended Christian-based schools.

Because she was so smart, Becky received a scholarship to Howard Payne University. During her early college days, Becky went through stages of career goal decisions. At first, she wanted to be a teacher, then a police officer, but with the guidance and recommendations from professors, Becky eventually found her niche for a career goal – a psychologist.

Becky's psychology professors sensed that she had an innate way of effectively relating and working with others. As a young adult, Becky understood the mechanics of establishing therapeutic relationships, showing empathy, and providing supportive encouragement and positive feedback. She felt everyone deserved her undivided attention and emotional support.

One day, a college friend wanted Becky to meet a guy who had written a song called, “The Girl of My Dreams.” The friend shared that this song had to be talking about Becky because it described a girl, short in stature, with red hair and blue eyes as being the girl of his dreams.

Standing at five-foot, with red hair and sparkling blue eyes, Becky fit the physical description in the song. She agreed to meet this stranger at her friend’s party. That fateful night, Becky met the “man of her dreams” . . . a man on a mission of self-destruction.

Becky quickly fell in love with this person. When she brought him home to meet her parents, Becky's mom related that she felt uneasy and frightened around him. However, she was happy for her daughter as she could see the love and happiness in Becky’s face.

It wasn’t long though that her mom's apprehension concerning Becky's new love became grounded with incidents involving frequent mood swings and inappropriate behavior. Everything seemed to make him nervous. Intelligent and manipulative, he knew how to control Becky. Remember, Becky felt everyone deserves multiple chances in life, no matter the person or the situation. She wasn't about to just give up on him.

As time passed, Becky would share more and more things about him to her mother; information that would make any parent cringe in fear for their child’s well-being. Even so, the day Becky announced that they were getting married, her parents were supportive of their daughter’s decision, mainly due to fear of driving their daughter away from them.

Approximately 18 months later, among incidents of substance abuse and treatment hospitalizations with her husband, Becky found joy and celebration of love and life through the birth of their son. According to Becky's mom, Becky was the happiest she had ever seen her. She became emotionally stronger and protective of herself and her child.

Then the day came that Becky left her husband. The incidents of "unexplained" or "overexplained" bruises on herself, as well as his continued substance abuse and violent mood swings, Becky had had enough and now feared for her child. Becky and her son moved in with her parents.

For awhile Becky and her child thrived in the warm and loving environment and safety of her parents' home. Becky and her family strived to avoid seeing and talking to her estranged husband. However, one day when Becky, her mom, and her son were leaving the house in their car, her husband caught up with them. Crying and begging, and even threatening suicide, he pleaded with Becky to come back to him. After many discussions, a written contract and promise by her husband to not bring drugs in the home and to stop his physical aggression towards her, Becky and the baby moved back in with her husband. She decided to give him one more chance.

Ms. Moore related that things were a little easier for Becky, although she struggled with finances since her husband wasn't steadily employed and her jobs were minimum wage positions. Becky's parents helped occasionally with small personal loans and, of course, kept their grandson as often as they could even though they both worked full-time.

One Friday, Becky called her mom at work. They talked briefly about routine things. Nothing seemed amiss or urgent in Becky's voice that day.

That night, when Becky's parents arrived home from work, sheriff's deputies were waiting in their driveway. The deputies related that they wanted to talk to them. Once inside, they began revealing the horrible story of how Becky's husband had stabbed her to death and then took his own life that evening in his mother's home.

Reeling from the shock and tragedy of losing their daughter, the Moores quickly found out that their grandson, about 20-months-old at the time, had not been hurt but was safe with his other grandmother at a neighbor's house.

The Moores were able to adopt their grandson, and now their house is filled with the laughter and antics of a five-year-old. Ms. Moore related that when she looks at her grandson, she sees Becky . . . "he's part of her . . . he gives me strength . . ." Meet Becky's son . . . another victim of domestic violence.

This year's theme for National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "Justice for Victims. Justice for ALL." A proclamation honoring all crime victims, including victims of domestic violence, as well as their families, and those who serve them was signed and issued by Judge Theodosis, and read by him at the SSDVTF meeting.

This proclamation includes some very interesting crime victims statistics and is located on this page under the pictures. Please read this proclamation and take time out, especially this week, but certainly every week, to remember and honor the memories of those whose lives have been destroyed, directly or indirectly, by acts of crime.

For additional information about National Crime Victims' Rights Week and ideas on how to serve victims in our community, please contact Georgia Harris, Director of the Dove Project, at 325/372-4357 or visit the Dove Project's website at http://www.doveproject.org/

Last Tuesday, April 8th, team members of the San Saba Domestic Violence Task Force (SSDVTF) held their regular monthly meeting with special recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Several community members were also present to show their interest and support of this important event. In recognition of National Crime Victims' Week, April 13th-19th, the SSDVTF featured a proclamation by County Judge Byron Theodosis and a heart-wrenching story from a Brownwood woman whose daughter was murdered by her husband in 2004.

The SSDVTF is comprised of several state and local organizations, and serves as a multidisciplinary approach to end domestic violence in San Saba County. Representatives from programs or agencies, such as the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA), New Horizons, Off the Beaten Path Ministries of San Saba, San Saba Police and Sheriff's Departments, Family Services Center of Brownwood, and the Taylor Clinic, as well as any interested community members, form the foundation of SSDVTF.

This task force is in partnership with the Dove Project, San Saba's domestic violence shelter program. SSDVTF's purpose is to work to promote effective strategies in education, intervention, and prevention of domestic violence, in order to promote positive outcomes for the victims and our community.

SSDVTF's goal is to make San Saba County a leader in education and prevention of domestic violence in rural Texas, and to accomplish this through community, local, and regional support. This task force embraces any and all agencies, individuals, and community groups that are willing and able to contribute to this mission.

The highlight of this meeting was the speaker, Andrea Moore of Brownwood, whose daughter, Becky, was murdered several years ago. For the next half-hour, everyone present listened intently while Mrs. Moore told an abbreviated version of Becky’s story. Meet Becky . . . a victim of domestic violence.

As a child, Becky was a redheaded precocious little girl who loved everyone and everything around her. She never met a stranger and this really worried her parents, even as Becky became older. Becky was home-schooled for awhile and eventually attended Christian-based schools.

Because she was so smart, Becky received a scholarship to Howard Payne University. During her early college days, Becky went through stages of career goal decisions. At first, she wanted to be a teacher, then a police officer, but with the guidance and recommendations from professors, Becky eventually found her niche for a career goal – a psychologist.

Becky's psychology professors sensed that she had an innate way of effectively relating and working with others. As a young adult, Becky understood the mechanics of establishing therapeutic relationships, showing empathy, and providing supportive encouragement and positive feedback. She felt everyone deserved her undivided attention and emotional support.

One day, a college friend wanted Becky to meet a guy who had written a song called, “The Girl of My Dreams.” The friend shared that this song had to be talking about Becky because it described a girl, short in stature, with red hair and blue eyes as being the girl of his dreams.

Standing at five-foot, with red hair and sparkling blue eyes, Becky fit the physical description in the song. She agreed to meet this stranger at her friend’s party. That fateful night, Becky met the “man of her dreams” . . . a man on a mission of self-destruction.

Becky quickly fell in love with this person. When she brought him home to meet her parents, Becky's mom related that she felt uneasy and frightened around him. However, she was happy for her daughter as she could see the love and happiness in Becky’s face.

It wasn’t long though that her mom's apprehension concerning Becky's new love became grounded with incidents involving frequent mood swings and inappropriate behavior. Everything seemed to make him nervous. Intelligent and manipulative, he knew how to control Becky. Remember, Becky felt everyone deserves multiple chances in life, no matter the person or the situation. She wasn't about to just give up on him.

As time passed, Becky would share more and more things about him to her mother; information that would make any parent cringe in fear for their child’s well-being. Even so, the day Becky announced that they were getting married, her parents were supportive of their daughter’s decision, mainly due to fear of driving their daughter away from them.

Approximately 18 months later, among incidents of substance abuse and treatment hospitalizations with her husband, Becky found joy and celebration of love and life through the birth of their son. According to Becky's mom, Becky was the happiest she had ever seen her. She became emotionally stronger and protective of herself and her child.

Then the day came that Becky left her husband. The incidents of "unexplained" or "overexplained" bruises on herself, as well as his continued substance abuse and violent mood swings, Becky had had enough and now feared for her child. Becky and her son moved in with her parents.

For awhile Becky and her child thrived in the warm and loving environment and safety of her parents' home. Becky and her family strived to avoid seeing and talking to her estranged husband. However, one day when Becky, her mom, and her son were leaving the house in their car, her husband caught up with them. Crying and begging, and even threatening suicide, he pleaded with Becky to come back to him. After many discussions, a written contract and promise by her husband to not bring drugs in the home and to stop his physical aggression towards her, Becky and the baby moved back in with her husband. She decided to give him one more chance.

Ms. Moore related that things were a little easier for Becky, although she struggled with finances since her husband wasn't steadily employed and her jobs were minimum wage positions. Becky's parents helped occasionally with small personal loans and, of course, kept their grandson as often as they could even though they both worked full-time.

One Friday, Becky called her mom at work. They talked briefly about routine things. Nothing seemed amiss or urgent in Becky's voice that day.

That night, when Becky's parents arrived home from work, sheriff's deputies were waiting in their driveway. The deputies related that they wanted to talk to them. Once inside, they began revealing the horrible story of how Becky's husband had stabbed her to death and then took his own life that evening in his mother's home.

Reeling from the shock and tragedy of losing their daughter, the Moores quickly found out that their grandson, about 20-months-old at the time, had not been hurt but was safe with his other grandmother at a neighbor's house.

The Moores were able to adopt their grandson, and now their house is filled with the laughter and antics of a five-year-old. Ms. Moore related that when she looks at her grandson, she sees Becky . . . "he's part of her . . . he gives me strength . . ." Meet Becky's son . . . another victim of domestic violence.

This year's theme for National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "Justice for Victims. Justice for ALL." A proclamation honoring all crime victims, including victims of domestic violence, as well as their families, and those who serve them was signed and issued by Judge Theodosis, and read by him at the SSDVTF meeting.

This proclamation includes some very interesting crime victims statistics and is located on this page under the pictures. Please read this proclamation and take time out, especially this week, but certainly every week, to remember and honor the memories of those whose lives have been destroyed, directly or indirectly, by acts of crime.

For additional information about National Crime Victims' Rights Week and ideas on how to serve victims in our community, please contact Georgia Harris, Director of the Dove Project, at 325/372-4357 or visit the Dove Project's website at http://www.doveproject.org/

Last Tuesday, April 8th, team members of the San Saba Domestic Violence Task Force (SSDVTF) held their regular monthly meeting with special recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Several community members were also present to show their interest and support of this important event. In recognition of National Crime Victims' Week, April 13th-19th, the SSDVTF featured a proclamation by County Judge Byron Theodosis and a heart-wrenching story from a Brownwood woman whose daughter was murdered by her husband in 2004.

The SSDVTF is comprised of several state and local organizations, and serves as a multidisciplinary approach to end domestic violence in San Saba County. Representatives from programs or agencies, such as the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA), New Horizons, Off the Beaten Path Ministries of San Saba, San Saba Police and Sheriff's Departments, Family Services Center of Brownwood, and the Taylor Clinic, as well as any interested community members, form the foundation of SSDVTF.

This task force is in partnership with the Dove Project, San Saba's domestic violence shelter program. SSDVTF's purpose is to work to promote effective strategies in education, intervention, and prevention of domestic violence, in order to promote positive outcomes for the victims and our community.

SSDVTF's goal is to make San Saba County a leader in education and prevention of domestic violence in rural Texas, and to accomplish this through community, local, and regional support. This task force embraces any and all agencies, individuals, and community groups that are willing and able to contribute to this mission.

The highlight of this meeting was the speaker, Andrea Moore of Brownwood, whose daughter, Becky, was murdered several years ago. For the next half-hour, everyone present listened intently while Mrs. Moore told an abbreviated version of Becky’s story. Meet Becky . . . a victim of domestic violence.

As a child, Becky was a redheaded precocious little girl who loved everyone and everything around her. She never met a stranger and this really worried her parents, even as Becky became older. Becky was home-schooled for awhile and eventually attended Christian-based schools.

Because she was so smart, Becky received a scholarship to Howard Payne University. During her early college days, Becky went through stages of career goal decisions. At first, she wanted to be a teacher, then a police officer, but with the guidance and recommendations from professors, Becky eventually found her niche for a career goal – a psychologist.

Becky's psychology professors sensed that she had an innate way of effectively relating and working with others. As a young adult, Becky understood the mechanics of establishing therapeutic relationships, showing empathy, and providing supportive encouragement and positive feedback. She felt everyone deserved her undivided attention and emotional support.

One day, a college friend wanted Becky to meet a guy who had written a song called, “The Girl of My Dreams.” The friend shared that this song had to be talking about Becky because it described a girl, short in stature, with red hair and blue eyes as being the girl of his dreams.

Standing at five-foot, with red hair and sparkling blue eyes, Becky fit the physical description in the song. She agreed to meet this stranger at her friend’s party. That fateful night, Becky met the “man of her dreams” . . . a man on a mission of self-destruction.

Becky quickly fell in love with this person. When she brought him home to meet her parents, Becky's mom related that she felt uneasy and frightened around him. However, she was happy for her daughter as she could see the love and happiness in Becky’s face.

It wasn’t long though that her mom's apprehension concerning Becky's new love became grounded with incidents involving frequent mood swings and inappropriate behavior. Everything seemed to make him nervous. Intelligent and manipulative, he knew how to control Becky. Remember, Becky felt everyone deserves multiple chances in life, no matter the person or the situation. She wasn't about to just give up on him.

As time passed, Becky would share more and more things about him to her mother; information that would make any parent cringe in fear for their child’s well-being. Even so, the day Becky announced that they were getting married, her parents were supportive of their daughter’s decision, mainly due to fear of driving their daughter away from them.

Approximately 18 months later, among incidents of substance abuse and treatment hospitalizations with her husband, Becky found joy and celebration of love and life through the birth of their son. According to Becky's mom, Becky was the happiest she had ever seen her. She became emotionally stronger and protective of herself and her child.

Then the day came that Becky left her husband. The incidents of "unexplained" or "overexplained" bruises on herself, as well as his continued substance abuse and violent mood swings, Becky had had enough and now feared for her child. Becky and her son moved in with her parents.

For awhile Becky and her child thrived in the warm and loving environment and safety of her parents' home. Becky and her family strived to avoid seeing and talking to her estranged husband. However, one day when Becky, her mom, and her son were leaving the house in their car, her husband caught up with them. Crying and begging, and even threatening suicide, he pleaded with Becky to come back to him. After many discussions, a written contract and promise by her husband to not bring drugs in the home and to stop his physical aggression towards her, Becky and the baby moved back in with her husband. She decided to give him one more chance.

Ms. Moore related that things were a little easier for Becky, although she struggled with finances since her husband wasn't steadily employed and her jobs were minimum wage positions. Becky's parents helped occasionally with small personal loans and, of course, kept their grandson as often as they could even though they both worked full-time.

One Friday, Becky called her mom at work. They talked briefly about routine things. Nothing seemed amiss or urgent in Becky's voice that day.

That night, when Becky's parents arrived home from work, sheriff's deputies were waiting in their driveway. The deputies related that they wanted to talk to them. Once inside, they began revealing the horrible story of how Becky's husband had stabbed her to death and then took his own life that evening in his mother's home.

Reeling from the shock and tragedy of losing their daughter, the Moores quickly found out that their grandson, about 20-months-old at the time, had not been hurt but was safe with his other grandmother at a neighbor's house.

The Moores were able to adopt their grandson, and now their house is filled with the laughter and antics of a five-year-old. Ms. Moore related that when she looks at her grandson, she sees Becky . . . "he's part of her . . . he gives me strength . . ." Meet Becky's son . . . another victim of domestic violence.

This year's theme for National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "Justice for Victims. Justice for ALL." A proclamation honoring all crime victims, including victims of domestic violence, as well as their families, and those who serve them was signed and issued by Judge Theodosis, and read by him at the SSDVTF meeting.

This proclamation includes some very interesting crime victims statistics and is located on this page under the pictures. Please read this proclamation and take time out, especially this week, but certainly every week, to remember and honor the memories of those whose lives have been destroyed, directly or indirectly, by acts of crime.

For additional information about National Crime Victims' Rights Week and ideas on how to serve victims in our community, please contact Georgia Harris, Director of the Dove Project, at 325/372-4357 or visit the Dove Project's website at http://www.doveproject.org/

Last Tuesday, April 8th, team members of the San Saba Domestic Violence Task Force (SSDVTF) held their regular monthly meeting with special recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Several community members were also present to show their interest and support of this important event. In recognition of National Crime Victims' Week, April 13th-19th, the SSDVTF featured a proclamation by County Judge Byron Theodosis and a heart-wrenching story from a Brownwood woman whose daughter was murdered by her husband in 2004.

The SSDVTF is comprised of several state and local organizations, and serves as a multidisciplinary approach to end domestic violence in San Saba County. Representatives from programs or agencies, such as the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA), New Horizons, Off the Beaten Path Ministries of San Saba, San Saba Police and Sheriff's Departments, Family Services Center of Brownwood, and the Taylor Clinic, as well as any interested community members, form the foundation of SSDVTF.

This task force is in partnership with the Dove Project, San Saba's domestic violence shelter program. SSDVTF's purpose is to work to promote effective strategies in education, intervention, and prevention of domestic violence, in order to promote positive outcomes for the victims and our community.

SSDVTF's goal is to make San Saba County a leader in education and prevention of domestic violence in rural Texas, and to accomplish this through community, local, and regional support. This task force embraces any and all agencies, individuals, and community groups that are willing and able to contribute to this mission.

The highlight of this meeting was the speaker, Andrea Moore of Brownwood, whose daughter, Becky, was murdered several years ago. For the next half-hour, everyone present listened intently while Mrs. Moore told an abbreviated version of Becky’s story. Meet Becky . . . a victim of domestic violence.

As a child, Becky was a redheaded precocious little girl who loved everyone and everything around her. She never met a stranger and this really worried her parents, even as Becky became older. Becky was home-schooled for awhile and eventually attended Christian-based schools.

Because she was so smart, Becky received a scholarship to Howard Payne University. During her early college days, Becky went through stages of career goal decisions. At first, she wanted to be a teacher, then a police officer, but with the guidance and recommendations from professors, Becky eventually found her niche for a career goal – a psychologist.

Becky's psychology professors sensed that she had an innate way of effectively relating and working with others. As a young adult, Becky understood the mechanics of establishing therapeutic relationships, showing empathy, and providing supportive encouragement and positive feedback. She felt everyone deserved her undivided attention and emotional support.

One day, a college friend wanted Becky to meet a guy who had written a song called, “The Girl of My Dreams.” The friend shared that this song had to be talking about Becky because it described a girl, short in stature, with red hair and blue eyes as being the girl of his dreams.

Standing at five-foot, with red hair and sparkling blue eyes, Becky fit the physical description in the song. She agreed to meet this stranger at her friend’s party. That fateful night, Becky met the “man of her dreams” . . . a man on a mission of self-destruction.

Becky quickly fell in love with this person. When she brought him home to meet her parents, Becky's mom related that she felt uneasy and frightened around him. However, she was happy for her daughter as she could see the love and happiness in Becky’s face.

It wasn’t long though that her mom's apprehension concerning Becky's new love became grounded with incidents involving frequent mood swings and inappropriate behavior. Everything seemed to make him nervous. Intelligent and manipulative, he knew how to control Becky. Remember, Becky felt everyone deserves multiple chances in life, no matter the person or the situation. She wasn't about to just give up on him.

As time passed, Becky would share more and more things about him to her mother; information that would make any parent cringe in fear for their child’s well-being. Even so, the day Becky announced that they were getting married, her parents were supportive of their daughter’s decision, mainly due to fear of driving their daughter away from them.

Approximately 18 months later, among incidents of substance abuse and treatment hospitalizations with her husband, Becky found joy and celebration of love and life through the birth of their son. According to Becky's mom, Becky was the happiest she had ever seen her. She became emotionally stronger and protective of herself and her child.

Then the day came that Becky left her husband. The incidents of "unexplained" or "overexplained" bruises on herself, as well as his continued substance abuse and violent mood swings, Becky had had enough and now feared for her child. Becky and her son moved in with her parents.

For awhile Becky and her child thrived in the warm and loving environment and safety of her parents' home. Becky and her family strived to avoid seeing and talking to her estranged husband. However, one day when Becky, her mom, and her son were leaving the house in their car, her husband caught up with them. Crying and begging, and even threatening suicide, he pleaded with Becky to come back to him. After many discussions, a written contract and promise by her husband to not bring drugs in the home and to stop his physical aggression towards her, Becky and the baby moved back in with her husband. She decided to give him one more chance.

Ms. Moore related that things were a little easier for Becky, although she struggled with finances since her husband wasn't steadily employed and her jobs were minimum wage positions. Becky's parents helped occasionally with small personal loans and, of course, kept their grandson as often as they could even though they both worked full-time.

One Friday, Becky called her mom at work. They talked briefly about routine things. Nothing seemed amiss or urgent in Becky's voice that day.

That night, when Becky's parents arrived home from work, sheriff's deputies were waiting in their driveway. The deputies related that they wanted to talk to them. Once inside, they began revealing the horrible story of how Becky's husband had stabbed her to death and then took his own life that evening in his mother's home.

Reeling from the shock and tragedy of losing their daughter, the Moores quickly found out that their grandson, about 20-months-old at the time, had not been hurt but was safe with his other grandmother at a neighbor's house.

The Moores were able to adopt their grandson, and now their house is filled with the laughter and antics of a five-year-old. Ms. Moore related that when she looks at her grandson, she sees Becky . . . "he's part of her . . . he gives me strength . . ." Meet Becky's son . . . another victim of domestic violence.

This year's theme for National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "Justice for Victims. Justice for ALL." A proclamation honoring all crime victims, including victims of domestic violence, as well as their families, and those who serve them was signed and issued by Judge Theodosis, and read by him at the SSDVTF meeting.

This proclamation includes some very interesting crime victims statistics and is located on this page under the pictures. Please read this proclamation and take time out, especially this week, but certainly every week, to remember and honor the memories of those whose lives have been destroyed, directly or indirectly, by acts of crime.

For additional information about National Crime Victims' Rights Week and ideas on how to serve victims in our community, please contact Georgia Harris, Director of the Dove Project, at 325/372-4357 or visit the Dove Project's website at http://www.doveproject.org/

Last Tuesday, April 8th, team members of the San Saba Domestic Violence Task Force (SSDVTF) held their regular monthly meeting with special recognition of National Crime Victims' Rights Week. Several community members were also present to show their interest and support of this important event. In recognition of National Crime Victims' Week, April 13th-19th, the SSDVTF featured a proclamation by County Judge Byron Theodosis and a heart-wrenching story from a Brownwood woman whose daughter was murdered by her husband in 2004.

The SSDVTF is comprised of several state and local organizations, and serves as a multidisciplinary approach to end domestic violence in San Saba County. Representatives from programs or agencies, such as the Political Asylum Project of Austin (PAPA), New Horizons, Off the Beaten Path Ministries of San Saba, San Saba Police and Sheriff's Departments, Family Services Center of Brownwood, and the Taylor Clinic, as well as any interested community members, form the foundation of SSDVTF.

This task force is in partnership with the Dove Project, San Saba's domestic violence shelter program. SSDVTF's purpose is to work to promote effective strategies in education, intervention, and prevention of domestic violence, in order to promote positive outcomes for the victims and our community.

SSDVTF's goal is to make San Saba County a leader in education and prevention of domestic violence in rural Texas, and to accomplish this through community, local, and regional support. This task force embraces any and all agencies, individuals, and community groups that are willing and able to contribute to this mission.

The highlight of this meeting was the speaker, Andrea Moore of Brownwood, whose daughter, Becky, was murdered several years ago. For the next half-hour, everyone present listened intently while Mrs. Moore told an abbreviated version of Becky’s story. Meet Becky . . . a victim of domestic violence.

As a child, Becky was a redheaded precocious little girl who loved everyone and everything around her. She never met a stranger and this really worried her parents, even as Becky became older. Becky was home-schooled for awhile and eventually attended Christian-based schools.

Because she was so smart, Becky received a scholarship to Howard Payne University. During her early college days, Becky went through stages of career goal decisions. At first, she wanted to be a teacher, then a police officer, but with the guidance and recommendations from professors, Becky eventually found her niche for a career goal – a psychologist.

Becky's psychology professors sensed that she had an innate way of effectively relating and working with others. As a young adult, Becky understood the mechanics of establishing therapeutic relationships, showing empathy, and providing supportive encouragement and positive feedback. She felt everyone deserved her undivided attention and emotional support.

One day, a college friend wanted Becky to meet a guy who had written a song called, “The Girl of My Dreams.” The friend shared that this song had to be talking about Becky because it described a girl, short in stature, with red hair and blue eyes as being the girl of his dreams.

Standing at five-foot, with red hair and sparkling blue eyes, Becky fit the physical description in the song. She agreed to meet this stranger at her friend’s party. That fateful night, Becky met the “man of her dreams” . . . a man on a mission of self-destruction.

Becky quickly fell in love with this person. When she brought him home to meet her parents, Becky's mom related that she felt uneasy and frightened around him. However, she was happy for her daughter as she could see the love and happiness in Becky’s face.

It wasn’t long though that her mom's apprehension concerning Becky's new love became grounded with incidents involving frequent mood swings and inappropriate behavior. Everything seemed to make him nervous. Intelligent and manipulative, he knew how to control Becky. Remember, Becky felt everyone deserves multiple chances in life, no matter the person or the situation. She wasn't about to just give up on him.

As time passed, Becky would share more and more things about him to her mother; information that would make any parent cringe in fear for their child’s well-being. Even so, the day Becky announced that they were getting married, her parents were supportive of their daughter’s decision, mainly due to fear of driving their daughter away from them.

Approximately 18 months later, among incidents of substance abuse and treatment hospitalizations with her husband, Becky found joy and celebration of love and life through the birth of their son. According to Becky's mom, Becky was the happiest she had ever seen her. She became emotionally stronger and protective of herself and her child.

Then the day came that Becky left her husband. The incidents of "unexplained" or "overexplained" bruises on herself, as well as his continued substance abuse and violent mood swings, Becky had had enough and now feared for her child. Becky and her son moved in with her parents.

For awhile Becky and her child thrived in the warm and loving environment and safety of her parents' home. Becky and her family strived to avoid seeing and talking to her estranged husband. However, one day when Becky, her mom, and her son were leaving the house in their car, her husband caught up with them. Crying and begging, and even threatening suicide, he pleaded with Becky to come back to him. After many discussions, a written contract and promise by her husband to not bring drugs in the home and to stop his physical aggression towards her, Becky and the baby moved back in with her husband. She decided to give him one more chance.

Ms. Moore related that things were a little easier for Becky, although she struggled with finances since her husband wasn't steadily employed and her jobs were minimum wage positions. Becky's parents helped occasionally with small personal loans and, of course, kept their grandson as often as they could even though they both worked full-time.

One Friday, Becky called her mom at work. They talked briefly about routine things. Nothing seemed amiss or urgent in Becky's voice that day.

That night, when Becky's parents arrived home from work, sheriff's deputies were waiting in their driveway. The deputies related that they wanted to talk to them. Once inside, they began revealing the horrible story of how Becky's husband had stabbed her to death and then took his own life that evening in his mother's home.

Reeling from the shock and tragedy of losing their daughter, the Moores quickly found out that their grandson, about 20-months-old at the time, had not been hurt but was safe with his other grandmother at a neighbor's house.

The Moores were able to adopt their grandson, and now their house is filled with the laughter and antics of a five-year-old. Ms. Moore related that when she looks at her grandson, she sees Becky . . . "he's part of her . . . he gives me strength . . ." Meet Becky's son . . . another victim of domestic violence.

This year's theme for National Crime Victims' Rights Week is "Justice for Victims. Justice for ALL." A proclamation honoring all crime victims, including victims of domestic violence, as well as their families, and those who serve them was signed and issued by Judge Theodosis, and read by him at the SSDVTF meeting.

This proclamation includes some very interesting crime victims statistics and is located on this page under the pictures. Please read this proclamation and take time out, especially this week, but certainly every week, to remember and honor the memories of those whose lives have been destroyed, directly or indirectly, by acts of crime.

For additional information about National Crime Victims' Rights Week and ideas on how to serve victims in our community, please contact Georgia Harris, Director of the Dove Project, at 325/372-4357 or visit the Dove Project's website at http://www.doveproject.org/