Mia was a political activist in her South American home country. After years of demanding change and accountability from her government, she faced growing threats and harassment. Eventually, a member of the military assaulted her during a political rally. No longer feeling safe in her country, Mia made the tough decision to leave her two daughters with her sister and flee to the United States.
Mia won political asylum and relocated to Washington. Her limited English proficiency made it challenging to find work, but a friend from church helped her find a restaurant job. Mia was relieved that she could begin saving to bring her daughters to the U.S.
Andrea connected with LifeWire last year through our partnership with Open Arms Perinatal Services. Her partner had physically abused her throughout the first two trimesters of her pregnancy and began beating her again shortly after giving birth.
Andrea wanted to leave, but she needed somewhere to go. LifeWire connected Andrea with a local shelter. The temporary housing gave her time to find a place to stay with friends. Andrea agreed to cook, clean, and take care of their kids in exchange for room and board.
Things were going well for Andrea and her two kids until the COVID-19 crisis. The family Andrea lived with suffered a big financial setback when one parent lost a job and the other lost hours. They asked Andrea and her kids to leave, but Andrea didn’t have any place to go.
Our helpline is staffed 24/7, but not everyone can safely make the call.
“Beth” was worried about her safety. Washington’s “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order reduced her chance of catching or spreading COVID-19, but it left her vulnerable to other dangers.
Her husband lost hours at work, which meant a smaller paycheck and more time trapped at home with him. While he never hurt her physically, the emotional abuse grew by the day, scaring Beth and their young daughter.
In her brief moments alone, Beth reached out to LifeWire via email. Working with an advocate only through email, Beth put together a safety plan and came up with ways to keep her and her daughter safer.
Become a lifeline for survivors like Beth now when they need it most and give today.
Joann felt overwhelmed. Her partner had never hurt her physically, but he was too controlling. He limited her access to money, pushed her friends and family away, and frequently told Joann she was crazy.
She wanted to talk with someone, to have someone listen to her concerns. But, Joann felt too embarrassed to bring it up to her sister or the friends she rarely saw, so she called LifeWire.
I’ve been connected with LifeWire for more than 20 years, first as a volunteer, then as a Board Member, and now as a member of the Giving Society. I was first drawn to LifeWire, then Eastside Domestic Violence Program, because I was especially interested in issues around women’s rights and empowerment, and because I strongly believe we all deserve to be in safe and nourishing relationships.
Did you know that dating violence is a big problem on college campuses? 43% of dating college women report experiencing violent and abusive dating behaviors, including physical, sexual, technological, verbal, or controlling abuse. But it doesn’t just affect women. Dating violence happens in opposite-sex and same-sex relationships, and people of any gender can experience dating violence.
Safe and healthy families are the key to ensuring safe and vibrant communities. We each have the power to change our culture of violence to one of kindness and compassion through words and our actions. Here are ways you can help build a world free from violence, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
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