“I wish people would stop blaming the victim” 
Maya* said.  

“A lot of times, the survivor is going back to the abusive relationship because they think they can correct the situation. No one understands. […] It’s hard.” 

10 months ago, Maya almost lost her life due to domestic violence. Maya was dealing with a violent partner who made her life and the lives of her two young children a living hell. She knew she needed to make a plan to leave, but she wanted to provide her children with the benefits of a two-parent household. It wasn't until her almost lost her life to the escalating violence and Child Protective Services came knocking at her door that she knew that she could no longer stay in the relationship and that she needed to seek professional help.

At first, she was apprehensive about complying with a system that she felt was broken. However, once she was connected to ACCESS she started receiving support and resources that were meaningful, sustainable, and empowering. This support cemented a promising future for herself and her children.

“ACCESS is a blessing," Maya said. "They helped me with everything. They’ve given me resources like free food, free cleaning products, and free hygiene products. And most importantly, they provided me with therapy, housing, and a way for me to get a job so I will never have to rely on an abuser again. ” 

The challenge of being a single parent and the sole provider in a household may seem insurmountable, but the resources ACCESS provides, Maya said, are essential for getting a domestic violence survivor out of their abusive situation. 

*Name changed to protect client privacy.
 

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

You can help change the lives of survivors everywhere by doing the following: