When Tessa’s husband became physically and emotionally abusive, she was determined to keep herself and her two children safe. She had no job and no place to go, but she knew that she had to protect her family from the domestic violence in their home.
Tessa* and her children became homeless, staying first with friends, then at a nearby church. Then she entered Via Esperanza, Pathways of Hope’s Immediate Response Shelter. Right away, she began to make plans to rebuild her life.
After much soul-searching and many conversations with her case manager, Tessa decided that the best option for herself and her children was to move back to Colorado* to be with her extended family. She used Via Esperanza’s career counseling and computer resources and began applying for jobs, and was soon able to secure a job in her home state.
Tessa is grateful that Pathways of Hope was able to provide her family with a stable place to stay and give her the support and resources she needed during the traumatic experience of leaving her abusive husband. Thanks to Pathways of Hope’s donors, Tessa received the care and council necessary to keep her family safe and to take steps toward a new life, a life free from abuse and filled with the love and support of her family.
Excerpted from The National Alliance to End Homelessness:
“Domestic violence is the immediate cause of homelessness for many women. Survivors of domestic violence are often isolated from support networks and financial resources by their abusers, which puts them at risk of becoming homeless. As a result, they may lack steady income, employment history, credit history, and landlord references.
Survivors of domestic violence have both short- and long-term housing needs. Immediately, survivors require safe housing away from the abuser. Ultimately, the family requires access to safe, stable, affordable housing.”
Your support gives survivors of domestic violence like Tessa the chance to break the cycle of abuse and rebuild their lives.
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*Name and details have been changed to protect the client and her family
