Survivors of domestic violence often feel misunderstood and forgotten by society at large. Though many organizations exist to help, victims may struggle to reach out or be unaware that such resources even exist. The story of one veteran police officer and his efforts to help a woman change her life for the better will hopefully help Maryland domestic violence survivors see that there are people in the world who want to break the cycle and get assistance to those who may desperately need it.
The woman at the center of the story called police to report that she was a victim of domestic violence. A former cop, who worked for nearly two and a half decades as a police officer but now works with a Mobile Crisis Response team, took the referral and met with the woman along with his team partner, a clinician. Though the response team often provides mental health services, the two responders determined that wasn’t what the woman required. They realized she was living in a nearly-empty apartment.
The officer turned to a nonprofit to get the woman furniture and financial donations. He and a team moved all the furniture in for her and used the monetary donations to purchase her a cellphone, phone cards, and a big-box retailer gift card. The woman says she is grateful to get a fresh start and pleasantly surprised at peoples’ generosity.
Deciding to leave an abusive relationship is often a difficult but necessary decision. Those who have experienced domestic violence may not know where to turn for help. A good place to start is with an attorney here in Maryland who has experience on both sides of domestic violence cases. An attorney can help survivors take the first steps toward their brand new life.