Local author uses memoir to help others

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To thank Kathleen Kline for her presentation, President Jennifer Palakiko presented her with a certificate, and a donation was made to the Rotary Foundation in her honor.

The Rotary Club of Tehachapi welcomed Kathleen Kline, a local Tehachapi resident, to speak about her recently released a memoir, "My Life in the Dark: A Marriage Built on Lies."

Kathleen has lived in Tehachapi periodically since 1989 and, in her words, "has taken what life has thrown at me and turned it into something that helps others." She is a familiar face in the local community, as she has written for the Tehachapi News and volunteers with the Tehachapi Mountain Search and Rescue group. Now, she is using her 33 years of writing and publishing, as well as her training as a counselor for domestic violence and substance abuse, to expand her influence. She hopes that by sharing her story she can have a positive impact on others struggling with these issues in their lives.

As the story unfolds in her book, Kathleen got married and had children, completely unaware that her husband had lied and falsified 12 different pieces of information on their marriage license. She was troubled to later learn that family members knew, but failed to say anything, leaving her to discover the deceit on her own. When violence occurred, she had to move herself and her children to a safe house. This was a difficult step to take, having been raised in a religious home that valued marriage as a sacred institution. After they separated, her ex-husband kept looking for them. She had to move 10 times in three years just to keep herself and her children safe. They moved so often that she learned to be resilient and resourceful, especially in how to find services in various states.

She said, "It's a hard thing to raise children when you're divorced, but it's also hard on the children to live in a situation where they are witnessing abuse."

When she encountered a judge who did not seem to take her situation seriously, she decided that maybe she should become an advocate to help others. She felt it was important to tell her story, in hopes that her journey will help others escape from abusive situations.

Kathleen said that the timing of her presentation is important, as October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. She discussed some of the different types of abuse that can happen in relationships, including physical, sexual, verbal, financial, mental and emotional abuse.

She said that in Kern County 31% of the domestic violence offenses are actually committed against men. This has been a trend that more men are being affected by violence committed by a partner. It is important to raise awareness about domestic violence and share information about the resources available.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline at (800) 799-7233, which is a helpful resource. Locally, one can simply dial 211 to be connected to a local community service for domestic violence.

The Tehachapi Rotary Club meets at noon every Thursday at Kelcy's. Rotary is committed to "Service Above Self," and devotes time and resources to projects in the local community, scholarships for college-bound high school seniors and supporting global efforts for polio eradication. For more information about the Rotary Club, you can visit their Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/RotaryClubofTehachapi/.