Domestic Violence

Presentation
Featuring
Carolyn Thomas

Carolyn Thomas, a 34-year-old former track star was shot in

the face by an abusive ex-boyfriend who also killed her
mother. She wears a mask-like bandage to protect her from
infection and the stares of those who are unknowing of her
experiences.

This is an undated photo of Carolyn Thomas before her face

was destroyed in a shooting.

Carolyn Thomas must feed herself four times a day using a

tube attached to her stomach.

With Stan and Jan to keep her company, Carolyn must

constantly remind herself to stay upbeat. "I'm alive for a
reason. I don't question God," she says.

Passing an unidentified shopper at Wal-Mart, Carolyn Thomas

heads down the aisles quickly to avoid the stares of those
who are unfamiliar with the tragedy of her past.

Adjusting her trachea tube, Carolyn Thomas cleans it

constantly in order to breathe comfortably and to talk.

This photo shows Janice Reeves, Carolyn Thomas' mother,

who was shot dead by her daughter's boyfriend in 2003.

Carolyn Thomas reacts as prosecutor Crawford Long displays

a .44 Magnum for her to identify during the trial of Terrence
Kelly in Waco in April 2005. Terrence used the gun to shoot
Thomas in the face.

Terrence Kelly leaves court April 15, 2005, in Waco. He was

convicted of shooting Carolyn Thomas in the face and killing
her mother in 2003. He is serving a life sentence.

THE SURGICAL PROCESS

(VERY GRAPHIC)

With half her face shot off, it will take several surgeries to
reconstruct her facial skull.

Besides the jaw, tissue, and bone, Carolyn lost an eye, nose,
and upper lip.

The first of several surgeries; the goal was to make sure

Carolyn could breathe while preventing infection.

Next the eye socket was repaired allowing for a

removable socket to be used.

After having several skins grafts, where skin was removed from her
back and legs, the jaw line was built and closed. An upper lip was
also constructed.

During this process, a plaster mold is made of her face to build her a
nose.

The area of the nose is built with a synthetic so as not to

cause chaffing, making it easier for Carolyn to breathe.

Each
day, she
will
have to
glue the
piece to
her face
to apply
the
syntheti
c nose.

Doctors constructed several noses attempting to match it to the

original nose. Carolyn chose the one she felt closely resembled her

Life Begins
Anew!

She is the face of domestic violence. She

travels the country sharing her story,
teaching women, warning women,
empowering women.

Prevalence of Domestic Violence

Estimates range from 960,000 incidents of violence against a current or

former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend per year1 to three million women

who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year.

Around the world, at least one in every three women has been beaten,
coerced into sex or otherwise abused during her lifetime.

Nearly one-third of American women (31 percent) report being physically

or sexually abused by a husband or boyfriend at some point in their lives

Nearly 25 percent of American women report being raped and/or

physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, cohabiting partner,

or date at some time in their lifetime

Thirty percent of Americans say they know a woman who has been
physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year.

Intimate partner violence is primarily a crime against women.

Women accounted for 85 % of the intimate partner violence (588,490
total) and men accounted for 15 % of the victims

While women are less likely than men to be victims of violent crimes
overall, women are five to eight times more likely than men to be
victimized by an intimate partner.