Rajida

When I left my mother’s house at 19 years old due to our strained relationship, I never expected to experience dating violence. But that’s what happened when I moved in with a friend living with the man who fathered my first child.

Despite being pregnant with our son, this man constantly spat at me, threw objects at me, threatened to beat me, and locked me outside in the cold with no shoes or coat.

I reached out to various organizations for support, but nothing panned out until I called SafeLink, Casa Myrna’s 24/7 toll-free, statewide domestic violence hotline. They picked me up at a safe, neutral location and took me to their Teen Parenting Program for teens and young adults.

Casa Myrna went above and beyond for me. From counseling to housing advocacy, there was always someone to support me and make sure my son and I had everything we needed. After I gave birth, if I couldn’t get my son to go to sleep, staff would watch after him so I could rest.

I was in the shelter for just under a year before getting my own apartment. The stability and care they provided made such a difference. Without Casa Myrna, I’d probably be dead, because that situation I was in was tough and it was hard to get out of. They advocated for me and taught me how to advocate for myself.

Because of my experience, I’m a case manager at a different shelter, and I’m in college to become a social worker. I have another son and have learned how to manage healthy relationships. Casa Myrna showed me just how strong I am, and I’ll always be grateful to them.