Stories: Susan's Story

Susan had been married for 23 years to a man who was physically and emotionally abusive. He forced her to report her whereabouts to him throughout the day.

If she didn't, he would beat her. Susan had never taken a lunch hour while at work for fear that her husband would call and find that she'd left the office without his permission. Susan's freedom was completely taken away from her--she was literally a captive.

Finally she took her five-year-old daughter and fled. Fortunately, she had a prominent job with a successful company, so her employer helped her transfer from her home to Washington state. But Susan was feeling timid and frightened about what was ahead for her and her daughter. She had just left her home, her job, her friends, her church, and all the other communities that made up her life.

Here in Washington, Susan contacted EDVP. Her experiences had made her wary, and during her meeting with us she was frightened, tired and unsure of who was safe to talk with or who might betray her.

At the advocate's suggestion, Susan joined a support group. In time, she started to open up. She began to describe how exciting it was to go to lunch with coworkers, to attend a movie on her own, or just to spend time playing with her daughter without having to worry about her abusive husband becoming jealous and violent.

Unfortunately, Susan's husband was resourceful and tracked her down. But Susan's time in the support group had helped her build inner strength. She stood up to her abusive partner and promised to fight every effort he made to take away the freedom she'd earned for herself and her daughter. It is a testament to her spirit that she continues to fight for her freedom and her right to live a life free from violence.