A Cry For Help: The Tracey Thurman Story

A Cry For Help: The Tracey Thurman Story is about a woman who was in an abusive marriage with Charles “Buck” Thurman. When she left Buck he started stalking her. Tracey turned to the police for help but they did little to help her. When Buck kidnapped their son the police encouraged her to “Clam him down.” The police lost the restraining order against Buck it allowed him to continue to stalk Tracey. When Tracey continued to report Buck’s stalking the police did not take her seriously. On June 10^th, 1983 when Tracey refused to go with Buck he attacked her with a knife. Below is a clip of the attack and what the police officer did and failed to do to protect Tracey. Tracey’s left side of her body was able to function, she has no feeling. The right side of her body is able to feel, but she had lost 80% of her motor skills.

This movie was very hard to watch. I know it is a movie but to think this actually happened to someone. I wanted to watch this movie because I think it illustrates the need for police to take domestic violence more seriously. The most dangerous time for a victim of domestic abuse is right before or after they leave their abuser (Understanding Intimate Partner Violence by Michele McKeon pg. 499.) A Cry For Help illustrates that when Buck stalks her, kidnaps their son, and almost ends her life with an attack.

            The police did not arrest Buck until he attacked Tracey. They lost the restraining order she had against him allowing him to violate it many times. Thankfully today if there is mandatory arrest laws in place to protect victims. Tracey was treated as a villain for wanting protection. Tracey sued the police department for not protecting her civil rights. She was awarded 1.9 million dollars after the court found the police department guilty. Tracey’s case started a nationwide reform of police policy and training programs. The Tracey Thurman law now requires Connecticut police to treat domestic violence as they would any other violent crime.