Barbara Sheehan says she hopes a new book about her tormented life with an abusive husband will help other victims of domestic violence find their way out of life -threatening relationships. Forum Newsgroup photo by Patricia Adams.
For Barbara Sheehan, the wait since her conviction on a gun charge in November has been complicated by a fight to keep her job with the Department of Education, preparing for her appeal and just getting back to life.
But in addition to the turmoil and stress there is however according to Sheehan, a bright side.
Last week, a book written by her children, Jennifer and Raymond Sheehan was released to anxious readers through Amazon and at bookstores. The Barbara Sheehan Story: In Bed With the Badge details the terror and torture that Ray Sheehan perpetrated on his wife and children for nearly two decades.
Sheehan says despite the fact that it was an excruciatingly painful thing for her kids to write the book, she’s glad they did.
“I am so proud of both Raymond and Jennifer,” an emotional Sheehan related. “It’s not easy for people to understand, but when you have lived this, it’s almost as painful to talk about it as it was to field the actual abuse.”
For the Sheehan kids, life has been somewhat smoothed over by the support of their family and by their life’s partners. Jennifer and husband US Navy Pilot Jessie Joyce recently celebrated their second wedding anniversary and Raymond will marry his fiancé Shannon McCoy in February of 2013.
“The greatest relief in my life,” Sheehan explains, “is to see them move on. Normally and in strong and supportive relationships—something I never had a clue about.” But what is more disturbing to Sheehan is that she had no clue that she so desperately needed to get out of her life with Ray, and to take their kids with her.
“You just do the same thing every day. Live in fear.” But she says there are great hopes that this book will strike a chord and send a lifeline out to people who are living in similar situations. “hopefully there will be encouragement and inspiration and they will see that there are ways to get out,” she says. And no matter what, it’s always better to get out.”
Now, the lengthy appeal process continues to overturn a gun charge conviction that could find Sheehan behind bars for 5 years. To date, 16 organizations have signed on to the Sheehan brief in support of her appeal. On the list of support is the New York Legal Assistance Group, the New York State Coalition to End Domestic Violence and the Legal Aid Society. Attorneys for Sheehan say the appeal process can take up to 18 months to facilitate. For Barbara Sheehan, the waiting game continues.
By Patricia Adams
