For five years, Donna stayed in a relationship to keep her family together. Day after day, she endured physical pain until she couldn’t take it anymore.
“I decided I needed to get away, and get out,” Donna said.
Donna packed up her things, and she and her 13-year-old daughter left the life they knew up north to an unknown town in Texas.
“I don’t what drew me to Texas, but my church minster says God must have put me here,” Donna said.
Unemployed and with little cash, Donna turned to the Capital Area Food Bank mobile food pantry for food assistance.
“I have a fresh start, but I don’t have anything else,” Donna said. “My daughter is all I have here.”
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, half of all homeless women and children are fleeing abuse. Approximately 1 out of every 4 women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.
Julia Smith, the chief communication officer for SafePlace, a nonprofit resource center in Austin for victims of sexual and domestic violence, says so often, victims don’t always have time to coordinate an escape and often resort to leaving with nothing but the clothes on their back and their children.
“People show up all the time with nothing at all,” Smith said. “When you’re running for your life literally, you’re not thinking about how you’re going to feed your kids two weeks from now.”
Smith said a major reason a victim doesn’t have the resources they need is because they don’t have access to their resources. According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, between 94 and 99 percent of domestic violence survivor have experienced economic abuse.
“It’s a way abusive partners control their victims,” Smith said. “They may have a joint account together and the abuser has a way of monitoring when and where the victim is using the debit card and how they’re spending their money. When you think about sharing a life with someone, we often share an account with that someone, and it’s hard to break away from that.”
Even the basic support one can get from family or friends become unavailable. Donna said she knew she couldn’t turn to the people she knew because it would be a way she could be found.
“The few friends and relatives I had live up north, and there wasn’t anything I could do but escape,” Donna said. “It’s hard as a single mom, but I have to do it. And right now, I’m just trying to feed my daughter.”
When survivors are building their lives again, Smith said cooking becomes important to the client, because it’s the one thing they can control.
“Having the opportunity to cook for their families gives them control over their lives and their family’s lives,” Smith said. “It’s more than just food; it’s a way for them to feel in control again.”
