For 16 years Georgia* was trapped in a prison created by her husband. “I thought abuse was a normal way of life.” Raised in a violent home, Georgia married a man who victimized her and their children. He isolated Georgia from all outside activities and her circle of friends. “He controlled everything that I did—how
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Hector* felt helpless and lost. His ex-girlfriend had a long history of preventing him from visiting their son, and when she threatened to leave the state with him and cut all ties, Hector knew he needed help. He wanted a custody agreement to ensure visits, but could not afford a lawyer. Hector thought he had
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Aracely* is a strong and silent woman, who above all else takes pride in being a mother. As a factory worker she brought home $1,200 a month. Consistent with a 2013 study by the National Women’s Law Center about the gender wage gap, like most Latinas in California, Aracely only made 43% of what white
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Sheryl is a successful paralegal who volunteers her time at the Harriett Buhai Center. Her commitment to the Center was forged through a personal experience she had here. Years ago, Sheryl found herself in a tumultuous marriage that was destroying her. “I was mentally, physically, emotionally and financially challenged. I had been raped by my
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“Everything I did was for my children,” says former Harriett Buhai Center client Flora.* “No matter what I was going through, I just focused on my children and that’s what kept me going.” Flora arrived at the Harriett Buhai Center after years of struggling to break her family free from her husband’s captivity. Her long
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