Olivia’s Story

[The Streets Don't Love You Back]

Olivia’s Story

Olivia* came to the emergency shelter directly from the hospital after living with her abusive husband, Jordan, for eight years.

She claimed the last beating wasn’t as bad as previous ones, stating “he only kicked me down the steps.” Jordan had been arrested in 2005 for attacking Olivia so severely that she suffered from a split disc. In addition to the physical abuse, Olivia’s husband had sought to control her financially by taking her paychecks and leaving her with little or no money.

The couple had immigrated to the United States from Ethiopia in 2001, so Olivia did not have a large network of family or support nearby. She filed for a protection from abuse order with the help of the Women Against Abuse Legal Center (link to WAA Legal Center info page), but Jordan continued to stalk and harass her. When he struck again, Olivia moved into the emergency shelter (link to emergency shelter info page) with her daughter.

Although she was a documented citizen, Olivia initially had trouble accessing community resources. Case managers at the emergency shelter partnered with her to obtain welfare benefits, counseling services and transitional housing. Olivia returned to school to complete a bachelor’s of science degree in Public Relations and Accounting.

When Olivia arrived at the emergency shelter she was severely depressed and lacked self-esteem as a result of years of abuse. By utilizing the comprehensive services available through Women Against Abuse, Olivia blossomed into a more confident individual, focused on building a safe and healthy future for herself and her daughter.

*Client’s name has been changed to preserve confidentialit