TAKING POWER IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP by

AGATA CAMPOS (14)

Many women get an order of protection from the

criminal or civil court of domestic violence. If they

move to domestic violence shelters, in most cases

they lose their economic self-sufficiency. They look for

help finding jobs and new residences through

domestic violence hot lines and domestic violence

organizations. In most cases, they find themselves in

domestic violence shelters while using the welfare

system, and they often lose all their belongings.

Sometimes, domestic violence shelters don’t have

enough space for assisting all families that need it.

Victims of domestic violence often don’t have

evidence of their abuse to present so that they can

obtain aid. Once, an abusive partner threw a knife at

me. Fortunately, I wasn’t injured, but I didn’t have

any evidence to prove that he did it. Without evidence,

it can be hard or even impossible to get support from

domestic violence resources in our community. Most

domestic violence incidents happen at home without

witnesses.

Apartments or shelters for domestic violence

survivors can be located in gang-infested neighborhoods

with dangerous levels of crime. Because of the

lack of opportunities, most survivors of domestic

violence can’t find the necessary support to develop

the economic self-sufficiency to move to an apartment

in a better neighborhood or to buy enough food and

clothes. They can be more afraid living there than

when they were living with their abusive partners.

Their life can truly become a nightmare, which is

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