The following reflection comes from Joanna, a survivor: I saw my abuser for the first time since ending the relationship two years after our final break-up. I had moved across the country, and was back in town visiting family. The two years I had spent away had allowed me time to heal, to process, to recognize how much the abuse had impacted me. From a distance,…
As often as possible, we try to use this blog space to feature pieces written by domestic violence survivors. The following poem was written by Molly (not her real name) to describe how she felt when struggling with domestic violence and substance use. Today Molly is living on her own, has regained custody of her kids, and has been sober for over a year. We share…
Now that Domestic Violence Awareness Month is over, attention in the REACH office turns to our annual Holiday Gift Program. To explain why this program is so important, we thought we’d let you hear straight from a survivor what receiving gifts at holiday time meant to her. I had been urged by an advocate with REACH to do a Holiday Gift list. I reluctantly fell for…
