her that they could be his next targets.
The devil told her he'd kill her if he
didn't have two nickels to rub together,
let alone enough money to pay rent
on her own. And so she sat, urgently
praying to a God she hadn't talked
to since the first night she'd become
a human punching bag.
violence, deciding to leave an abuser
can be the most serious event of their
lives. At that moment, victims must
decide their own fate, choosing between
the uncertainties of life without their
abuser and potentially losing their life
if they stay.
lash out upon perceiving a loss of
power and control. For that reason,
it is imperative that victims carefully
plan their escape.
offer a local, 24-hour hotline where
victims can find out about available
resources and enter an emergency
shelter. The National Domestic
about services available near the
Social Security card and legal
papers documenting orders of
protection or child custody;
each child knows who to call
for help and memorizes the
emergency phone number;
friends, neighbors, or co-workers
know that you're in danger and
the police should be called;
phone numbers and documents
in a safe place (at a friend's
house, for example) so you can
grab them quickly;
that the escape doesn't go as
planned.
is with you wherever you go." Domes-
tic violence shelters across the
country exist to ensure that survi-
terrifying time. The Salvation Army
Turning Point, one such shelter in
Roanoke, Virginia, houses up to sixty
survivors. Here skilled staff mem-
bers feed and clothe victims and
attend to their spiritual needs as
they begin the healing process. They
keep them safe behind fences with
razor wire and gates with magnet
locks. They walk them through the
legal process and partner with
community agencies for counseling
services, housing assistance and job
training. They greet survivors with
an open door and an open heart, and
toward independence and wholeness.
Salvation Army Turning Point.
The counselor listened as the caller
paused -- the kind of pause that
lets you know the person on the
other end is trying to summon up
the courage to utter the first
syllable. The counselor offered up a
silent prayer, "Lord, help us both,"
before hearing the words "My name's
Sheryl and I need a place to stay."
Shelter in Roanoke, Virginia.