Nearly all of the women in The Color Purple experience an abusive relationship at some point in their lives. Celie, the story's protagonist, is forced into an abusive marriage with Mr. ____ by her own father. Mr. ____ beats Celie ,"Cause she my wife. Plus, she stubborn." Celie thinks the abuse is magnified due to her inability to stick up for herself. There is some truth to her thinking, but Celie's abuse results from deeper societal issues. Because of her financial situation, Celie is dependent on Mr. ___ for basic survival. Therefore, she is helplessly stuck in an abusive relationship. In addition to monetary support, she does not have the emotional support system necessary to escape such violence. It is not until Shug Avery is introduced into Celie's life, and shows her that women can be independent, that Celie's mindset begins to change. With Shug's support and love, she is able to flee from Mr._____'s abuse and even support herself financially. She develops a successful business sewing pants for people in her hometown. Celie gains her independence by the end of the novel, and consequently is happier than ever before.
Celie's experience is not unique; domestic violence remains a serious issue today. However, unlike in Celie's age, resources exist to help abused women escape their violent relationships today. One such resource, The National Domestic Violence Hotline, offers women a way to get help. Trained advocates are available 24 hours a day to speak to victims and offer them advice and resources to escape their abusive partners. They believe that "Every donation to the hotline helps ensure someone is available to answer the most important call of a victim's life. We value your support."