"Mary" is a young mother of two children. For years Mary suffered at the hands of her abuser until an especially horrific attack left her blind in one eye. Mary struggled to return to work and pull the pieces of her life back together but like many victims of domestic violence, she found that she was unable to do it alone.
It was at this point that Mary came to Assisting Young Mothers. Our staff observed that the ramifications of domestic violence had not only greatly impacted her life, but the lives of her children who began acting out at school, imitating behavior they had witnessed at home. Staff arranged for the children to meet regularly with counselors and specialists to assist them in coping with the violence that they experienced. Mary worked closely with Alternative House staff and her Assisting Young Mothers mentor to take full advantage of the resources provided at the program, including assistance with obtaining health care, daycare and employment.
Mary is learning to function without one of her eyes, and she is receiving the counseling and services she needs to start living her life again. In less than a year, Mary has become more confident, determined to not allow this incident to define her future, and she is making great strides to move forward and be strong for her two children. With fulltime employment and a growing savings account, Mary is on her way to self-sufficiency and independence.
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