Jon Stremel (Huffpost) | Shafkat Anowar | Hawai‘i Visual Journalist

Father and son shares a moment while reading bed time stories in Stremel’s bedroom.

He Reported Abuse from His Wife

Something That is Uncommon

In early February 2020, I was commissioned by Huffpost to document a case of a male military member who reported abuse from his wife. Their son was also a victim of the case. This story is a part of Huffpost's ongoing series on domestic violence in the military.

Often times when Stremel’s son Calvin is away from home, Stremel reminisces their memories in Calvin’s bedroom filled with his favorite stuffed animals.

To US Navy Petty Officer Jon Stremel being a father is everything. He enjoys taking care of his son Calvin Stremel more than anything else.

The reality for him changed when complications started to appear after facing mental and physical abuse from his wife. Often time, his son went through the trauma more than him. Unforeseen hardship even led them to be homeless.

“It’s just hard to convey like how much this has changed my life. It has taken over my life,” said Stramel.

Things went downhill for Stremel after his wife filed a case against in favor of their son’s custody. According to Stremel, he cares more about getting his son’s custody more than winning other lawsuits filed by his wife.

Stremel thinks Hawaii’s law is biased towards women leading him and his attorney to think that he might lose his case.

Stremel demonstrates how his wife physically abused their son, Calvin Stremel. Both Stramel and his son is a victim of domestic violence.

A photograph pointing the bruises from the physical abuse by the mother.

Stremel was forced to pad his bedroom doors with pool noodles to prevent his wife ex-wife from angrily slamming the doors.