"I've learned so much from survivors about what it means to maintain your humanity in the face of terrible violence."- Heather F.

Chapter 8

The young ensign sat with her bowed, tears streaming down her face silently. Her face was covered in bruises that ranged in color from red to yellow. Her lip was busted; bleeding less profusely than it had when she first appeared in sick bay. She felt embarrassed, sitting in front of the doctor in her pajamas; feeling so small and helpless.

"How did this happen?" Dr. Phlox asked, his tone gentle. She did not answer, could not answer. It wasn't that she didn't want to; but her mind and mouth just would not connect. Whenever someone had asked her what had happened, she had always had an excuse. She fell, she had an accident, she was injured during a training, she was injured during a mission. She didn't have the energy to lie anymore. And yet, she didn't have the energy to tell the truth; either. The only choice left was to sit in silence. Dr. Phlox moved to put his hand on her shoulder, and she flinched back quickly.

"I'm sorry." she mumbled. That's all she knew how to say it seemed. 'I'm sorry', a mantra over and over and over again. What could she be, other than sorry? She heard the doctor pull up a chair, the wheels squeaking until it came to a gentle stop, in what she assumed was in front of her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Dr. Phlox said. "Everything that happend to you, shouldn't have. And I am sorry that I didn't see it before now." Dr. Phlox sounded so sad. The ensign looked up.

"You're not to blame, doctor. I am." She held the doctor' s gaze.

"No." He said forcibly. "The only one who is at fault, is him."

XXXX

"I thought this sort of behavior went out centuries ago." Archer said, sighing.

"Unfortunately captain, this kind of behavior is not one that people like to report on." Dr. Phlox said sadly. Archer shook his head.

"We are supposed to be enlightened! How are there people on my own ship who think that this kind of behavior is okay?!"

"Captain… we cannot simply say 'this behavior'. We must use the proper term if we are to make any change." Archer looked down. "The term is, interpersonal violence."

XXXX

Trip could not believe his ears. An ensign, on Enterprise, had gotten beaten to a pulp by her own partner? What was this, the early 21st century? He looked around the table at the other senior staff, seeing what he was feeling in their expressions.

"Due to the severity of the injuries, the perpetrator is in the brig, and will continue to be until he is taken back to Earth, either by us, or by other ships." Archer said

"And then what?" Trip asked, his tone sharp. Archer sighed.

"That is up to those who choose to prosecute. However; I highly doubt he will be back on a starship."

"Great." Trip grumbled crossing his arms.

"What about the ensign?" Hoshi asked. "Is she okay?" Dr. Phlox tipped his head.

"Her physical wounds will heal… however… I am more concerned about her mental healing." He paused, contemplating his next words. He had already discussed this with the captain, but it was still a difficult subject to transect. "The ensign told me that she did not know how to tell people about what was happening to her. She was afraid that if she told her superiors that her partner was attacking her, they would think her weak. She was afraid that her away missions would be reduced, and her career stalled."

"That's ridiculous!" Trip exploded. Phlox stared him down without words. Once Trip was settled back into his seat, Phlox started again.

"How many saw bruises, and said nothing?" Silence. "How many of you take explanations on face value?" Silence. "I also want to tell you all this 'violence is not only fists'. Her partner degraded her almost every day, so much that she started to believe what he said. And the INACTION you all took reinforced this belief." All of the senior officers were now staring at the table in front of them. "We are lucky she is still alive. Your inaction, was action." Phlox gestured to Archer.

"Dr. Phlox is right. We are all responsible, myself included." He looked into the faces of each of the officers around the table. "As a result, we will be establishing new regulations. Starting with teaching ourselves about interpersonal violence."

"Not knowing about it , ignoring it, makes it so this problem we believed was extinguished, able to flourish once again." Phlox said. "We MUST change this attitude on the ship, before someone does lose their life."

XXXX

"You seem unsettled." T'Pol said, startling Trip. She was up on one elbow, staring at him gently. Trip placed his arm above his head, sighing out gently.

"I was looking up some of that 'interpersonal violence' stuff, and it said stuff bout verbal abuse." He paused. "I was going through all of our interactions, wondering if what I did to you was abuse." He couldn't bear to look at her. "Specially about blamin' ya for things that were out of your control; even about bein' Vulcan." T'Pol did not answer. The silence was deafening. He knew what he said in anger was not always kind, but he had never meant to bully or abuse T'Pol. He wished he could take back all the unkind words he had ever said.

"I too have been reading documents about interpersonal violence." T'Pol's voice shattered the silence, softly. "As I read, I realized that this phenomenon is not limited to Earth." Trip turned his face to look at her; her face was tinted slightly green, and she was laying on her back, looking at the cieling. "On Vulcan, a wife is often subject to her husband. Even in my own marriage, I was almost forced to live on Vulcan because of my husband."

"But that's your culture T'Pol, don't mean it's abuse." Trip said, reaching over and tucking a small piece of hair behind her ear.

"That's correct. It is however; a vestige from times past."

"What's that mean?" Trip asked, his brow furrowed.

"Before Vulcans embraced logic, we were a violent people." Trip nodded, by now, this was common knowledge about Vulcans. "Some tendencies remain. Some males use their rage and strength against their mates. I believed it to be an outlier. I was not correct." Trip ran a hand down her arm.

"We're not like that… are we?" His eyes were full of worry, the brink of teas.

"No." T'Pol said firmly. "Although we may not always agree, I am secure in the knowledge that you do not believe I am not as worthy as you." Trip wiped a tear from his face, getting comfortable on the bed. T'Pol tucked herself into his side, facing him.

"I can see how someone can mistake love with jealousy. I just thought we'd evolved past it." Trip sighed, hugging T'Pol.

"How can a species evolve past a problem such as this, if no one discusses it, or acknowledges its existence?" Trip hugged her tighter to him. She was right. They had simply believed that it was not a problem because it was swept under the rug. The least they could do was to talk about it on Enterprise, if not their planets.

XXXX

"I just don't get why she didn't leave the relationship." Malcolm said, taking a sip of his tea. He looked up from his tea to find Hoshi staring at him with such rage that he was thankful looks could not kill. "What?" Hoshi slammed her fork down loudly.

"You're kidding, right? Certainly a man like you, educated, in StarFleet, did not just say to me 'why didn't she just leave?" Malcolm placed his cup down. He placed his hands flat on the table.

"All I am saying is that, in this day and age, there was no reason to stay in that relationship. She has a career, she knows self-defense." Hoshi rolled her eyes back as he finished his sentence.

"That's typical … typical." She hissed. "Do you know that interpersonal violence is more than physical? It's mental? Verbal? She believed that everything that her partner told her. That she was nothing. That no one would believe her, and that no one but he cared about her." Malcolm put is hands up.

"I'm sorry, you're right. I wasn't thinking." Hoshi got up, and held the back of the chair.

"No, you weren't." As she walked away, she felt her anger at Malcolm's words turn inward.

She knew all too well about interpersonal violence. The stories from generations ago resounded in her head. In her great-great-great grandmother's time it was okay to hit one's wife. A backhand here, a punch here; to put her in her place. Hoshi had heard tales of huge black eyes and broken limbs. It may have been against the rules of governing bodies, but it was acceptable in society.

As she moved past people in the hallways, she couldn't help but wonder if Earth was really that much more advanced than their ancestors. How many of them had seen bruises on this ensign, and rather than admit it was suspicious, decided to accept the easier answer? As she crossed the threshold into her quarters, she realized she wasn't just upset with Malcolm's words, she was mad at herself.

XXXX

"How are you feeling?" Phlox asked, taking a bite of his lunch. A bit of the meat slid out the back of his sandwich and fell on his plate with a 'plop'. The ensign smiled softly at the sound. Many of her bruises were healed, and on her lip was only a small red line.

"Better." She answered, taking a bite from her own sandwich. It really was. All over the ship she was hearing people talk about interpersonal violence. It wasn't as weird or unnerving as she thought it would be. It was actually therapeutic. "It's good to know that people are talking about it. I thought it would be weird, but I actually think it's helping me heal." Phlox nodded, placing his sandwich on his plate.

"I'm glad you let me share your experience with the crew. I was hoping that it would have an effect as it has." He said. He had noticed the conversations in the halls and in the common areas. Although it got heated at times, he was glad to see it was being talked about, rather than hidden. "It appears that the crew has taken it to heart."

"Yeah, I've actually overheard people asking others about bruises they saw. But in a kind, unassuming way. My friends have even told me that they've had important conversations with their partners." The ensign nodded.

"Thank you doctor." She looked down at her hands quickly. "The captain has approved my request for a transfer." She looked up at the doctor, smiling softly. "I just can't stay on a ship where that happened. I just want to start afresh on a new vessel." Phlox placed his hand over hers.

"Although this ship will be worse off without you, I understand." He smiled at her. "You've made such a big difference on Enterprise, I have no doubt you will make an exceptional ensign on your next assignment."

For the first time in a long time, the ensign straightened her back. She felt taller than she had in months, even from when she finally told the doctor what had been happening. She didn't feel whole yet, but talking to others and being able to help prevent even just one relationship like hers made her feel like the hero she always imagined a member of StarFleet felt like. She could feel a change in the air on Enterprise, and even if that seemed like a drop in the sea, she had learned droplets could make waves.

XXX

If you, or someone you love is experiencing Domestic Violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233