Pain No More

This is Shug's story. Shug was born in May 1951; she was the second child her teen, biological mother had. She was born an asthmatic. Shug’s mother realized that she could not care for another child. Shug was adopted by a couple from New York; they were the best parents Shug could have ever wanted. Her adoptive parents loved her very much, and she was there only child.  They did everything they could to give her a great home life. They lived in Brooklyn, New York. The family was very religious and raised Shug as a Pentecostal, meaning that it was a religious, nonviolent home. She was very sheltered from outside influences. As a young woman, Shug would work in her fathers clothing store, and this is where she met Haman, her husband who was in the military. The two started dating but Shugs mother told her not to marry Haman. Shug did in fact marry Haman and he promised her parents that he would take care of her.  After they were married things were good for a while, they were excited about their first home and the prospects for their future and where the military would take them.  Shug was a dutiful wife trying her best to emulate everything that she witnessed her mother doing for her father. Haman was patient and kind to Shug.  After being relocated to a new duty station and Haman made contact with a few of his old Vietnam buddies. At this point things began to change. He would invite his buddies and their families over for dinner. On this one particular night, was the first night he gave her that angry look, the next morning the first slap across the face came; that night after the friends departed another slap came, this began a cycle of slaps and beatings over several years with Shug always blaming herself and saying she made him mad, It was not until she gained enough courage to say I have had enough that she made the difficult decision to leave her marriage and start a new life free from violence for herself. This is her story, No more Pain.