After getting married in India, I came to the US on a fiancee visa. My husband told me once we were in California, we would marry again and apply for my paperwork together.
But, whenever I mentioned marriage, my husband would scream, pull my hair and kick me. He threatened me with deportation and jail. For one year he locked me in a room in the house we shared with his family. I had no phone or computer. I couldn’t mail a letter. If we went out, I had to act happily married. My husband was supposed to protect me, but I was treated worse than a servant.
I wanted to leave, but my family wanted me to stay with him. They were ashamed and I felt guilty.
After he badly beat me, I escaped to my neighbor’s house; she called the police.
SAN’s Role:
- Police and Shelter contacted SAN for cultural and linguistic support
- Assisted her in filing for and securing a restraining order against her abusers
- Assister her in obtaining citizenship
- Provided her with emergency financial assistance
- Assisted her in applying for a drivers license
- Assisted her in creating a resume, searching for and applying and securing a job
- Assister her in applying for a donation car
- Provided her a temporary cell phone (through Verizon, Hopeline Program)
- Assess to regular support groups
