Saving Marcy’s daughter . . . and herself

Marcy and her infant daughter arrived in our Safe Harbor Shelter after an incident where her husband hit her, accused her of cheating on him, and threatened to take their daughter from her and leave the country.

Escaping two years of abuse

Marcy had endured over two years of verbal, financial and physical abuse by her husband; but she knew that this night was different. She believed he would follow through on his threat to take her daughter. She had to protect herself and her daughter at all cost. Marcy left everything behind that night: her clothes, jewelry and car; her big house on the water; and any money she had. She was scared and unsure of what would become of her and her child, but she knew she wanted to live safely and peacefully.

The road to a new life

With the help of our dedicated shelter staff, Marcy received counseling. Our staff attorney enabled her to gain full custody of her daughter. She also received employment services and assistance finding permanent housing. The road was long and uncertain but she persevered and, after three long months, Marcy secured a beautiful apartment for her and her daughter. She obtained a new job, a necessity since her husband knew her work location. Her family assists her with child care. Marcy reports that her contact with her soon-to-be ex-husband is now limited to effectuating court-ordered supervised visitation, and she has recently retained an attorney to begin the divorce process.