Surviving Domestic Violence - By Anonymous

To begin, domestic violence is something that needs to be addressed as a real-world problem that is happening all around us. Our Region is no exception. My family is currently in the thick of the difficulties that come with escaping the evil situation we were in. The barriers that we have now as we navigate the court system, safety, and school seem just as hard as the violence itself some days.

In trying to confirm our security, I looked to legal services to help me keep our Order of Protection in place, but this didn’t go well. Luckily, I was able to represent myself in court after my lawyer didn’t show up. Although that is now in place, we battle through shut-off notices, child care costs, lack of insurance, and attempting to obtain social work hours for the children. This entire story isn’t something I know how to handle, it is all new every day, which means contacting the school system to provide documentation of protective services and requesting appropriate social work for my kids isn’t easily done. I would love to get us all family counseling services, but the waitlists are long, private practice is beyond our budget, and finding options isn’t clear.

My family needs domestic violence services to be well known and shouted from the rooftops. The communication and hidden help just add more difficulty to an already difficult situation. No one should ever have to consider staying in a violent situation because escaping doesn’t seem like an option.