Marine Veteran and firearms trainer Tori Branum is using a high-profile domestic violence case involving a Michigan football coach to highlight the dangers women face in abusive relationships and the importance of self-defense.
Branum, who has trained over 13,000 women since launching her business in 2018, said she felt compelled to speak out after reviewing court evidence surrounding Sherrone Moore, a Michigan football coach accused of domestic abuse.
A former Marine, Branum, started her firearms training business after being frustrated by the prevalence of violence against women reported in the news. She said,
“I thought I could bring my Marine Corps training into the civilian world,”
Tori Branum
The Michigan case caught Branum’s attention because of the severity of the alleged abuse.
Moore reportedly carried on a two-year affair with a woman, which allegedly included a history of domestic violence.
According to court documents, even after the woman attempted to end the relationship, Moore allegedly showed up at her home, escalating the situation from a private relationship to a matter of serious concern for law enforcement.
At Moore’s arraignment on Friday, December 12, 2025, Washtenaw County Magistrate Judge Odetalla Odetalla issued a GPS tether and one of the most explicit no-contact orders seen in courtrooms: “That means no calling, no writing, no video chatting, no texting, no emailing, or any other form of contact the human mind can fathom.”
Branhum emphasized that such detailed orders are rare and signal the court’s recognition of a real risk to the victim.
She uses this case to highlight a broader issue: the limitations of restraining orders in protecting victims. She said,
“The most dangerous moment for a victim is when she leaves, when control is lost and obsession takes its place,”
Tori Branum
She also noted that power imbalances, whether due to status, money, or influence, often trap victims in abusive situations. Branum added,
“It often takes an extraordinary amount of courage to finally walk away,”
Tori Branum
Her post sparked a wave of reactions from her followers, many of whom shared personal experiences.
Stephanie Baldwin noted that the woman in the Michigan case had tried to leave before the harassment came to light, and observed the systemic issue of abusers maintaining positions of power.
I saw a video saying that she had tried to end the relationship and he was harassing her and that’s part of how the relationship came to light. Also interesting that she is not fired for the relationship since he was above her in the food chain so to speak.
Stephanie Baldwin
Lee Myers Getzinger praised Branum for providing “great info” and emphasized the importance of preventing further victims.
Other commenters highlighted the limitations of legal protections. Glenna Searles shared her own experience, saying that a restraining order did not prevent her ex from intimidating her, and that carrying a firearm served as her discouragement.
Amen! I’ve been there. The local Sheriff told me that a RO is not a deterrent. My ex drove by the house, snuck in behind my property, left beer cans everywhere ( including my front porch). All to intimidate me. He wasn’t hiding the fact that he could do whatever he wanted. The County Sheriff told me to get myself a gun. I did. I live in the country. I had that gun on my hip while just mowing the grass. I never had to use it, but I would have. Word got around that I was carrying. That was a deterrent.
Glenna Searles
Freda Kay reflected on the psychological toll of abuse, noting that victims often stay in dangerous situations because of fear, mental conditioning, or lack of resources, and emphasized the need for broader public awareness.
Again you are 100% right and I believe a restraining order only fuels the fire of a deranged man or woman. I say woman too because there are some women that abuse men unfortunately. Domestic abuse is real. It can be physical or mental abuse. There are many women (and a few men) that hide in the shadows, afraid to leave because they fear their abuser, they have been beaten down mentally and physically and have lost all sense of self, they keep thinking it will get better ( it usually escalates instead), or they have no where to go (family/ friends), many with children. There needs to be more emphasis on this subject to let the ones hiding in the shadows to know there is help available. Nobody needs to stay in an abusive relationship. It doesn’t get better.
Freda Kay
James Woody and Tracy Bearden speculated that Moore’s wife might also have been afraid, illustrating the complex dynamics often present in abusive households.
Jeannie Turman Satoris recounted a tragic story of a friend who was killed despite having obtained a restraining order, reinforcing Branum’s warning that legal documents alone cannot always guarantee safety.
I had a friend who was in an abusive relationship for over 15 years. We wondered why she stayed for so long and after her finally telling all, we understood the fear of staying was far less scary than leaving. When she finally left the situation she went directly to the courthouse for an RO. It was granted and as she was leaving the courthouse, her estranged husband shot her dead in the middle of the street.
Jeannie Turman Satoris
Others, like Mary Hollingsworth, stressed the importance of educating daughters about recognizing and leaving abusive behavior immediately.
Hollingsworth described teaching her daughter that if someone hits, threatens, or exhibits violent tendencies, there should be no second chance.
A Navy officer was just found guilty for cyber stalking and harassing his ex. Smh These cases are why I have burned into my daughter’s brain, If he hits you once, you leave. If he acts like he’ll hit you or rages out and gets violent, leave. You don’t love him bc that person doesn’t exist. You come home. 🧡
Mary Hollingsworth
Jeff N. Tommie Sartain, a retired police officer, added perspective on the complexity of domestic violence, noting that possession and control, not love, drive abusers, and that restraining orders often fail to prevent harm.
I’ll bring a slightly different point of view. I was a cop 40 years, and worked in a southern city that generally ranks in the top 10 sometimes the top 5 in Violence. DVs are an extremely complex system of abuse. First thing to remember is it has nothing to do with love and everything to do with possession. Some of these victims are so badly abused that when the cops are called they have to fight the husband and wife.
Jeff N. Tommie Sartain
