Local Domestic Violence Victim Speaks Out About Ray Rice Incident

DECATUR, TN (WDEF) – Penny Waldroup, says, "I had been shot three times, hit in the head with a shovel, cut with a pocket knife, and chopped up with a machete."

It all happened in front of Penny four children who were between the ages of ten and five.

Penny adds, "He said, Say goodbye to your mom.  This is the last time you’ll see her. I gave Chelsea a hug and she said, it’s ok Mom, I’ll see you in heaven."

By the grace of God, she says, she survived that October day back in 2006.

But her best friend, Leslie, who tried to protect her, did not.

Several years later she told her story to Dr. Phil, and now she’s speaking out again after a video of Ray Rice went viral.

Penny says, "I wanted for my children to know that that isn’t the way of life. This is not normal. My children thought that was normal because that’s all they had seen."

To stop the cycle, Waldroup hopes the NFL uses this domestic violence incident as a platform.

Penny adds, "Use it during games, as commercials, as outreach, like they do with pink out. Wear purple."

Ray Rice was suspended from the NFL indefinitely.

His now wife continues to stand by his side.

Penny adds, "They want to believe in their heart that they love them and they want to believe within their heart that they will change."

Penny says she’d place her faith in domestic violence programs rather than the justice system to fix this growing epidemic because her husband only got a 32 year sentence for the violent outburst that scarred several families.

Just this week, we learned the NFL hired a former FBI head.

Robert Mueller will look into what exactly the NFL knew about the domestic violence situation, and how long they knew it.

If you are involved in a violent relationship, call the National Network to End Domestic Violence at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).