Winter 2022 Newsletter

Sarah and her girls endured awful abuse.

You made it possible for them to escape.

For 15 years, Sarah and her children endured unspeakable abuse at the hands of her husband. Her written testimony holds 17 pages of things no one should ever have to go through.

Now, they’re safe and building a new life.

“He controlled every aspect of our lives. Everything we did, everywhere we went. How and when we cut our hair, what music we listened to, what we ate for dinner, what we got at the grocery store, who we spent our time with… how we spent our days—even if he wasn’t home, he was in control.”

The abuse was beyond physical. He was verbally, emotionally, spiritually and sexually abusive. At the drop of a hat, he would fly into a rage.

Sarah felt as if she didn’t have anyone to turn to.

“Everyone I tried to talk to excused his behavior … told me it wasn’t really abuse. I needed to be a “better wife” — submissive, obedient, and always ready to satisfy my husband.”

But Sarah knew in her heart that this wasn’t her fault. She knew she had to find a safe place for her and the girls.

“My girls were terrified of their father. My oldest daughter had debilitating stomach cramps from anxiety and fear. She told me that she wanted us to get a divorce. My youngest told me that she wanted to run away because she was so scared of him.

That opened my eyes— I had to do something.

Out of desperation, I got in the car and just drove. I wound up at my mom’s house, sobbing on her couch for a few hours. I called Sheltering Wings, and they promised my girls and I three beds by 3 pm the next day. That gave me 24 hours to figure things out, and a safe place to sort my life out for the next year, where we would be absolutely untouchable to my husband.

The next morning, I woke up and started packing. And the girls and I left.”

Sarah is working to build a new life with her girls, safe and independent from her husband. “I will never go back. Watch me spread my wings and show my babies what it’s like to learn how to fly,” said Sarah.

We’re so proud of her.