A Survivor Story

The light at the end of a very long tunnel

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the legal system was jarring — with courts shutting down, the backlogs continue to this day. This has created incredible challenges for those seeking relief through the court system, like our survivor’s story today.

The survivor had suffered over four years of physical abuse at the hands of their partner: they were slapped, punched, choked to the point of unconsciousness, and had their eyes forcibly pushed into their eye sockets. Many of these incidents occurred in front of their children who could only stop and stare in horror at what was happening.

Then, in the early stage pandemic of spring 2020, the abusive partner was arrested, and the survivor was issued an order of protection. After weathering the days of lockdown, in 2021 the survivor decided to pursue a legal case to obtain custody of their children and came to DVP for assistance. It was then that they discovered the order of protection had expired a year earlier. Suddenly, the survivor felt the fear and trauma of their abuse boil up. It was more urgent than ever to secure their children’s future.

Be Heard.

The survivor worked with a DVP attorney to pursue their custody case. However, the abuser would disappear for months at a time, then return and demand visits with their children — creating a viciously frustrating cycle of returning to court every few months. Each time, the court would give the abuser more time, and then they would disappear again. It was emotionally draining on the whole family as the abuser would continuously fail show up for visits, never apologizing or providing an explanation to the children.

This cycle persisted for two years.

Be Free.

The survivor felt stuck in limbo, close to giving up hope. But with the support of their DVP attorney, they kept going to court and pushing for a final resolution. They worked together to prepare for what felt like an inevitable trial. Then — nearly two years to the day from their first appearance in court — the abuser finally gave in and settled the case.

The survivor’s joy was evident, giving a huge smile and sigh of relief with the two-year custody battle now over. Now, they can focus on putting the years of pain suffering behind them, divorcing from their abuser. With the support of DVP, they are ready to tie up their history with their abuser once and for all.

*For confidentiality and safety, this story is shared anonymously. Please note, the use of the pronouns “they/their/theirs” is used throughout as the neutral form. It is not meant to reflect any individual’s chosen pronouns.