Shine OnSelfie likely saves woman’s life
Selfie may have been the much-maligned word of the year for 2013, but one woman is lucky to be alive after posting a self-snapped picture of herself to her Facebook page on Monday.
Susann Stacy of Leslie County, KY, uploaded a photo of her battered and bloodied face to the social networking site after her husband allegedly beat her with a handgun.
Donnie Stacy, Susann's husband, reportedly ripped the phone off the wall so his wife could not phone police, after he heard her talking with another man. With no cell phone reception, she made a final plea for help via a WiFi connection.
She posted the image of herself following the attack, captioned "Help please anyone." One of Susann's Facebook friends saw the photo and contacted police.
"A lot of people depend on WiFi. They have these smart phones, computers. They do not have the land lines but they do have internet," Sheriff's Deputy Sam Mullins, who later arrested Donnie Stacy, told WYMT.
The Huffington Post reports that on Thursday afternoon, Susann made a statement on her Facebook page saying:
A statement about the events of Monday.. I posted a picture via WiFi because it was my ONLY way to seek help. I didn't have a phone to call on... no cell service... just WiFi. I just wanted help.. to not die in a pool of my own blood in my kitchen floor. I am thankful for all the help... care... concern... and humanity shown to me. There are so many negative statements being made... along with positive ones... following the news stories. To each their own. Time to find that more better forever. Blessings.
Social media has reunited families and saved lives before through calls for organ donors, and even online classified ads.
Susann was lucky someone saw her plea for help. While some social channels, such as a city's police Twitter handle or help centre's Facebook page, are staffed during normal business hours by those who can offer assistance right away, you shouldn't solely rely on social media for help in these types of situations.
If you or a loved one is in an abusive situation, it's important to seek out help. If possible, reach out to your local police, a doctor, teacher or someone else you trust. You can also contact the National Domestic Violence hotline 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233 or Violence Unsilenced at 1-800-363-9010.
