News 12 Westchester, N.Y., reporter Juri Tatsuuma’s feature “Domestic Violence: When Love Hurts” disrobed a social problem in an area that had been cloaked by money and material wealth.
“The two-part series attempted to highlight how Westchester County, with its upscale image and affluence, was not immune to the problem of domestic violence,” said Tatsuuma.
Tatsuuma profiled several cases in her report, but one stood out as instantly unforgettable. The story of Beverly Genese, a 72-year-old woman, who was shot at by her 82-year-old husband, Ted.
“In the end, Beverly Genese was struck by seven bullets,” Tatsuuma said. “Amazingly, she survived … and her interview for our special series was the first time she went public with the ordeal.”
Even after Genese’s piece aired, her story didn’t cease. Shortly thereafter, Tatsuuma learned of the aftermath from someone close to Genese.
“Her daughter ended up writing a letter describing the enormous response her mother received while out and about in the neighborhood,” said Tatsuuma. “Friends, acquaintances and complete strangers going up to her in disbelief.”
But more than an update on the state of the family, the letter served as a thank you note to News 12 for a job well done.
I am writing on behalf of my mother, Beverly Genese and me regarding the above mini-series. We want to thank you so much for creating such a powerful piece on domestic violence that centered around my mother’s story of May 27, 2001. Certainly, it is a timeless issue and a story worth sharing as the world around us continues to bear out the ravages of domestic violence. …
We appreciate your concern for confidentiality and care with which you handled the filming and editing of ‘When Love Hurts.’ It was difficult to talk about a damaging incident, but if we reached anyone who could benefit from the knowledge of what occurred, we can all be proud of our individual contributions.
