Mike, if you don't mind me asking, why do you have a headache after reading this story?
BTW, my experience has been that, generally, people from non-abusive backgrounds are hesitant to talk about abuse because they are (1) afraid of saying something "wrong" (i.e., hurtful, offensive, etc.) because they have no point of reference in this area; or (2) because the subject is so shocking to them that they are embarassed and would rather move on to something more "pleasant".
As an abuse survivor, I've always preferred people who wade into the subject without fear or embarassment. Say something wrong, or offensive, just talk about it. It needs to be discussed.