Brenda, 36, has five children between the ages of seven and fifteen. For more than 17 years, Brenda’s husband physically abused her, and isolated her and the children from family, friends, and neighbors. He would not allow her to get a job or send the children to school outside their home. Finally, after a terrifying threat from her husband, Brenda and the children fled to a domestic violence shelter and called legal aid. Legal aid helped Brenda obtain a restraining order and a divorce. Brenda said, “My legal aid attorney gave me courage and backed me up when I was scared and wanted to give up.” Now that the family is safe, Brenda plans to attend nursing school, and the children are thriving in their new school.
