Dearest Advocates:

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

Thank you so much, you were all very helpful to me and my twins daughters xxxxx and xxxxx. It has been 4 years since I stayed with you and will never forget your kindness at my time of need. An update: I have been working in the same job for 4 years now and have my own apartment and many blessings. Your individual and group counseling helped me very much and my case manager was wonderful also your staff.

An advocate writes about a recent intake:

xxxxx had a familiar face… I did her intake and to both of our surprise we seemed to already know each other.  Our faces were familiar and after speaking with one another we’d realized we purchase groceries from the same grocery store.  As I asked her the questions on the lethality form she started to cry; she had no idea that what she had been living through the last several years was considered Domestic Violence. She got more and more upset as I asked each question; the tears were running down her face.  The last several years of her life with her husband and father of her two children she had second guessed everything she had done; he had so controlled her life she forgot she could make her own decisions.  He had told her what she could wear, how much she could weigh, what classes to take in college and had her taking his anti-depressants as he had convinced her she was truly depressed.

Since becoming a resident of Safehouse she continues to learn more and more about Domestic Violence.  She has attended meetings, spoke with fellow residents and is in awe over finding out there was in fact nothing wrong with her as her abuser had made her believe.  xxxxx is truly empowered by the information she has received and is now reaching out to her family.