Anna*, after much deliberation and reflection, gathered the courage to leave her abuser. She took Katie*, her 6-year old, with her, and was on track to get her life back. She was working to get her green card, and she was determined to raise Katie on her own, despite the lack of financial support from her ex-partner.
But her abuser kept calling and calling her at all hours, pleading (“I want us to be a family again”) and making threats (“I’ll take Katie and make you go back to Italy”) and promises to change his ways, if only she came back home.
Instead, she came to WIT.
It was hard for Anna not to return to the life she had known for so long, but she knew that she and Katie deserved better. With her counselor at Women In Transition (WIT), Anna created a safety plan for herself and Katie, and learned how to handle his incessant phone calls.
She learned how to document and report every incident for law enforcement, to build a case against him. Emotional safety planning was key: “I will not dial pain,” she’d tell herself whenever she felt her resolve weakening and she felt tempted to give in to his calls.
“I’m not afraid of him anymore"
Today, Anna has successfully blocked all contact with her abuser, and has had a three-year standing Protection From Abuse (PFA) order. Through WIT’s empowerment counseling, Anna was able to build a better life for herself and her daughter.
“I’m not afraid of him anymore, and he’s not bullying me ever again,” Anna said. “I’m different now and I will never be that scared woman again”
*Names changed for confidentiality