A Letter from an HRI VAWA Client

I have the opportunity to tell you about one of the most important and life changing decisions I ever made...walking through the office doors of the Human Rights Initiative.

On that first and fateful day, I felt my life had already ended, I was worthless, and there was no reason to live.  I had survived living with a violent, abusive husband, but I was still suffering physically, emotionally and financially on a daily basis, paying the price for crimes he had committed.

I really did not have much faith that going to HRI would make a big difference.  I had been given many avenues of support to follow, numbers to call and people to see.  Unfortunately, the unique mix of being an abused spouse, a person with limited financial resources needing legal counsel, and one still completing the immigration process was a mix that was overwhelming for them all.  HRI soon became my lifeline. HRI explained the legal process to me and told me that as a battered immigrant, I was eligible to file for relief under the Violence Against Women Act.

The first thing they did was empower me-not drill me with procedure or overwhelm me with legalese.  They gave me my worth back, my self-esteem, and made me see that I was in charge of my life and my future. They gave me the right keys to the right doors and were so familiar with what I considered my unique situation that it was almost scary. 

HRI made me realize was that I was not alone-there were many people who have been through the same thing I had and unfortunately, there probably will be many more. I soon came to realize I was one of the lucky ones.  I was alive.  Though I did not have much, I still had a place to live and a means of supporting myself.  Most people in my situation do not have anything but the clothes on their back and, in many cases, there are also children to consider.  If I could barely cope with my situation, I cannot even imagine how others survive under far worse circumstances.

The people at the Human Rights Initiative saved me.  They are talented, caring, understanding people who go above and beyond every call of duty to ensure people are simply treated like human beings and given the right to enjoy basic rights such as health and happiness that many of us take for granted. These people became my advisors, my protectors, my guardian angels, and my friends.  They gave me the gift of life, and I will be forever grateful.

 - T.