Dear Rosie Batty,
I am so sorry for what you went through on TV this morning. I could feel your pain, the hideous, agonising pain of losing your beautiful, beloved son Luke. It was twisting my guts and wrenching my soul. I saw my parents in similar pain, they lost my sister six years ago, and only someone who has been close to such profound, shocking grief can possibly understand how it feels.
I am sorry.
I am so sorry for what Joe Hildebrand said. He was wrong, a thousand shades of wrong. Rosie, he can't possibly understand what it means to be in an abusive relationship. None of us can if we haven't been there. But those of us with compassion and empathy, we listen to other people's stories. We hear their fear. We acknowledge their pain. We try to wrap our heads around what it must be like to be utterly controlled by another person. And we accept that their reality is valid, and terrifying, even if it doesn't in any way match our own.
I am sorry.
I am so sorry that you were forced to defend your role as loving mother and protector of your son. We know how deeply you loved Luke. We could see it in your eyes. We could hear it in your voice. And we know, because so many of us have children of our own, how profoundly and desperately we love our own babies. It is understood. You did everything you could. We know that and we have never questioned you at all.
I am sorry.
Any parent of a deceased child blames themselves in some way. As a parent, we are supposed to protect our children from harm. But this doesn't mean the blame is justified. You are not responsible for what happened to Luke. The only person responsible for that is his father. We know that. We believe that, fiercely. You did everything you could. You loved your child. Please know that we believe that with all our hearts.
We are sending you our love, and our strength, and our support. We are there with you, Rosie. We wish you long life, and hope that you will find joy again.
We are sorry that you were hurt this morning, and that your terrible grief was compounded. On behalf of women everywhere, please know we are with you.
Kerri
