Our neighbour is abused by her husband, who is a heroin addict. She sleeps in the loft - not a converted loft, I mean a storage space up a ladder - with the hatch locked so she is safe at night. Her children, who are adults, refuse to see her because she hasn't left him. She is an alcoholic.
Tonight, I heard her scream "help me" in the garden, and saw him approach her with a knife. I called the police and two cars came (1 woman, 3 men). In the interim, by husband knocked on her door. She was scared, shaking, crying and drunk. Her husband came out and started threatening my husband.
We left the police to it, noting what we'd seen and heard. We all acknowledged that the situation is known to the police.
Somehow, the interaction turned into her screaming and being abusive. Her husband was taunting her.
The police then knocked on our door and said, this is word for word - "it's her toniGht. If she didn't drink 12 cans of Stella there wouldn't be such a problem. They deserve each other."
This is wrong on so many levels. She drinks because she is abused. Because her life is a train wreck. Because she is terrified.
I challenged them and they repeated the same. They said it's their job, and they know what they're doing.
I'm so upset for her. And for how horrendous their response was. She is a fucking battered woman.