Josie met Ben while they were both in recovery housing, and they began living together two years later. Over time, Ben became abusive and controlling, and repeatedly assaulted her. When Josie would try to leave, Ben would threaten suicide, once going so far as shooting himself in the head. Ben’s family would always plead with …
Rose lived in Central Oregon with her two toddlers, AJ and Emma, and Emma’s father Jon. Throughout their relationship, Jon violently abused Rose. In 2018, Jon attempted to kidnap Rose during an incident of domestic violence. This was his second criminal offense for abusing her, so he was sent to prison for several years. Despite …
Lucia is an immigrant from Mexico with limited English. For years, she suffered emotional, physical, and sexual abuse by her partner Miguel, and her young son Roman often witnessed it. One day, when Roman was four, Miguel came home angry and said he was leaving. He walked out of the house, placed a belt around …
Silvia is a native Spanish speaker and mother of two young daughters, Josephina and Carmen. Silvia’s husband abused her for years, often in front of the girls, who were very afraid of him. After enduring emotional, verbal, and physical violence, Silvia finally decided she had to get help. A domestic violence community resource connected her …
Tina’s husband sexually assaulted her when she was recovering from an injury, so she and her children fled to safety and Tina got a restraining order. She sought help from legal aid when her husband got an attorney and requested a hearing. Tina’s legal aid lawyer assisted her through the legal processes of determining parenting …
Molly and her ex moved to Oregon from Virginia with their 4 year-old daughter Olivia in hopes of a better life. When the domestic violence she had previously endured continued to escalate after their move, Molly knew she needed to leave to protect her daughter. As soon as Molly received information about a domestic violence …
Madeline’s two sons, Robert and Cody, are six and nine years old. Her husband, Henry, was sent to prison for physically abusing Madeline while she was pregnant with Robert. After Henry’s release from prison, he began threatening Madeline. She sought a restraining order on her own, but the judge denied it. Early one morning, Henry …
Lori is a working mom with two children. She sought help from legal aid the same week her restraining order hearing was set. Her abuser had recently kicked her and given her a black eye, and Lori explained to her legal aid lawyer that there was a long history of assault. She was terrified. Lori’s …
Bethanne, a single mother of four, needed help to be safe from her ex-husband. During her marriage, Bethanne experienced emotional and physical abuse. After the divorce was finalized, her ex-husband escalated his threatening behavior. When Bethanne found a picture of herself and her children torn up in her driveway and then heard that her ex-husband …
Alicia is the mother of two young children. Alicia was abused by her husband throughout her marriage, including being threatened at gunpoint. Her children were afraid of their father due to the violence and threats they witnessed on a nearly constant basis. Alicia attempted to file for divorce using pro se forms, but was unable …