Last Wednesday's main story in THE STAR showed just how physically cruel people, in these instances men, can be to the ones they claim to love.

And it cannot be anything but a claim, as the acid burns and machete chops detailed in the article could not have anything to do with an emotion that covers everything from affection to sexual attraction to respect.

Or, rather, should, as it would appear that for quite a few men it comes down to a matter of possession.

No possession

That, it is said, is nine tenths of the law. Fortunately for the women who do make it to court with their cases of being battered, presumed possession does not count in this instance.

There are quite a few women who do not make it to court, as they end up dead. Tuesday's shooting at the Lister Mair-Gilby School for the Deaf being the latest publicised case of an all too common occurrence.

These cases of extreme violence did not start there, though, and we cannot emphasise enough to women who are facing abuse to face the situation and get out or get professional help. No one ever believes that they will end up on the front page of the newspaper as the latest addition to the stupendous domestic murder count, but insults lead to slaps lead to more serious assault and even death.

Those who are in the earlier stages of being abused would be well advised to take last Wednesday's main story in THE STAR as a serious warning and take care not to be the next case - or the one after.