October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Help us change the lives of survivors everywhere.

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** Before Hannah* married her now ex-husband, he seemed like he would make a kind partner.
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They were in love, and she was happy. It wasn’t until they got married and emigrated from Syria to America that he started to show his violent side.

“He started to abuse me, both mentally and physically,” Hannah said. “I realized he wasn’t a good husband, and I couldn’t stay with him. He showed a side of himself that I didn’t see before we got married.”

Hannah wanted a divorce, but then she found out she was pregnant. She felt like she was trapped.

“When I brought up the domestic abuse to my family and his family, they pressured me to stay in the relationship,” Hannah said. “They told me to be patient with him because we were going to have a child together. They made up excuses for him.”

Hannah’s pregnancy, though, did not stop the abuse. He continued to abuse her through the pregnancy and after. Eventually, Hannah came to a point where she couldn't endure the abuse anymore. She began seeking help and calling the police, who arrested her husband twice. After the second arrest, police officers shared a list of organizations she might reach out to for support. A domestic violence hotline responder connected Hannah with a case manager at ACCESS.

“I came to ACCESS destroyed and hopeless,” Hannah said. “I wasn’t even able to speak. I was in a very bad situation, but I was ready to get help.”

ACCESS supported Hannah in filing for divorce and in receiving the counseling and therapy she needed. She says her decision to leave her abusive relationship helped her see that she is capable of anything.

“I am a strong woman,” Hannah said. “I can do everything by myself. I can face every difficulty without help. I am proud of myself, and I am confident.”

*Name changed to protect client privacy.


** Domestic Violence Awareness Month is ending.
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October is the last week that we can help survivors like Hannah escape their difficult and violent circumstances. Your support these last two months has already made a significant impact on our work. We are so close to reaching our goal of $100,000. If everyone reading this email donated $10, we’d be able to guarantee support for over 350 survivors and their families relying on us for essential resources and services. Your donation could be the difference between life and death.
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Donate ([link removed]) to our annual domestic violence program fundraiser. Due to COVID-19 and its association with the spike in domestic violence, this year's theme is The Pandemic Next Door.

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Attend our Oct. 30 live dance event ([link removed]) featuring the Arab American National Museum’s current artist in residence Leila Awadallah. A portion of proceeds will support The Pandemic Next Door. Learn more and RSVP ([link removed]) .

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