"If we can help save someone,

that's what it's all about"

Story Published: Apr 10, 2007 at 5:36 PM PDT

Story Updated: Apr 10, 2007 at 8:44 PM PDT

By Kevin Reece

LAKEWOOD - In the gymnasium of Hudtloff Middle School in Lakewood, a group of students listened to a graphic story: The story of Crystal Judson and her husband David Brame.

After years of domestic violence, Crystal Judson's life ended in April of 2003. She had tried to report the emotional, physical, and sexual abuse of her husband. But he was the Tacoma Police Chief. She found few who would listen or help.

Threatened with divorce, David Brame's controlling abusive behavior exploded in gunfire on April 26th. As their two young children watched, he shot Crystal in the head then killed himself.

"And if we can just change one life, one thought, that may have been going astray to stop and think, that's what we're after," said Crystal's father Lane Judson.

His presentation to an audience of student-athletes was part of the Coaching Boys Into Men program. At Hudtloff, students are given lessons about understanding and preventing domestic and dating violence at the start of each sport season.

The idea is to appeal to students at the middle school, high school, and college level through some of their most effective mentors: their coaches.

"This program actually wants to work with boys as empowered bystanders to confront their peers in the locker room, on the bus ride, on the field, when they are being degrading to women," said Kevin Miller, the executive director of the Men's Network Against Domestic Violence. "Because that's a starting point that can lead to the horrible events that we saw last week at the UW."

"It really opened my eyes...things like that happen every day," said 8th grader Kenneth Griggs.

"My perspective changed a lot today," added 8th grader Mahana Lutali.

"And for them to have an opportunity know at this young age to really be contemplative about relationships is a good thing," said Hudtloff principal Moureen David.

Lane Judson believes starting this early is a good thing too. It's part of the promise he made to Crystal:

"That we'd do everything we could to try and keep other women from having to go through what she went through," he said.

Women including Crystal's daughter. She is now middle-schooler too.

"If we can help save someone - that's what it's all about."

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