Together, we fight for the health, education and financial stability of every person in our community, and with your help, we’re changing lives for the better. These stories offer a glimpse into the positive impact we can have when we LIVE UNITED.
The following story was submitted by our funded partner the Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter.
Theresa* had been in a relationship for only 3 months when her relationship suddenly changed. One day he attacked her, beat her up and hit her in the face with a gun causing injury to her face and breaking her nose. She ended the relationship and took her two young daughters to stay with family.
Three months later, while at a friend’s house, Theresa’s abuser found her. He grabbed her, dragged her through the yard while punching her in the ribs and biting her. Fortunately, she got away from him. She decided at that time, she needed to seek shelter for safety and she came to AADVS with her children.
While her job initially allowed Theresa to take a personal leave, returning to work proved to be another challenge for Theresa. Not having her own vehicle meant walking her children to day care then traveling an hour and a half each way to work by bus. The 14-hour day led to her losing the job because her child care could no longer cover the extra hours that travel added.
While in shelter, Theresa tried to remain upbeat and positive. Her struggles with employment were compounded by issues obtaining housing and she began to feel defeated. She met with our case manager, and together they developed a plan of recovery and rebuilding.
During her time in Shelter, Theresa actively participated in counseling as part of individual and group sessions, discovered her resilience in the face of adversity, and pushed forward attaining steps towards her goal of living a life free from abuse. She engaged in classes available to survivor’s such as the Economic Empowerment program and her children were able to participate in multiple activities put together by staff at the shelter.
Today, with the supportive services of the AADVS, Theresa and her children are enjoying their own home and she has found solid employment. She was provided with financial assistance, furniture, food and personal care items to help ease the transition to independent living. She recently was a part of the NEET mentoring program, and she continues to stay in touch and keep the shelter updated on how she is doing as she continues to work toward her goals.
*Name changed
The Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter provides a safe, emergency shelter for men, women and children who are victims of domestic violence, child abuse and other violent crimes in the city of Alliance and surrounding area.
Support Alliance Area Domestic Violence Shelter and our other community partners by making a gift today.