Casey was a budding entrepreneur running her own business. By age 26, she was married to her partner who she met through a mutual friend. Casey felt like she was on the path to success both professionally and personally. Everything was great and she was happy until the honeymoon phase was over with her spouse. That’s when the abuse started. Casey experienced emotional, physical, sexual, and digital abuse on an ongoing basis. Because of this continued and prolonged abuse from her partner, Casey developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), with her mental health on the decline. It got so bad for her that she ended up seeking a Temporary Restraining Order. Although she had a protective order, Casey felt she always had to look over her shoulder. After her estranged spouse broke into her apartment three times she knew she needed to go into a shelter. Casey felt unsafe in her own home and knew she needed to get somewhere safe so she could begin to heal. She learned about Human Options through a Google search and was accepted into the emergency shelter.
Initially, Casey had a rough time adjusting to shelter life after being so independent. She would often feel lonely, and go to the Hotline office to talk with the advocates. Fortunately, she was able to find a healthy outlet to focus her energy on – jewelry-making. Over time, Casey began to feel more at ease at the shelter, because she was finally in a safe place and could start the healing process through counseling. Casey was able to make a safety plan for when she leaves the shelter and how to live violence free on her own.
Casey’s next steps are to live with her mom, in a supportive, safe environment. She plans to continue attending outside therapy, and finalize her divorce in the coming months.
“I am so grateful to be here. I haven’t felt safe in a long time.” – Survivor
