After 20 years of marriage, Briana* realized that she needed to separate from her husband. During their marriage, her husband had never hit her but was verbally abusive and eroded her self-esteem. In June 2017, Briana came to our office with self-doubt and expressed that she “needed to get her husband out of the house for the health of her children.” Briana was most concerned with her inability to support the family solely on her income. Briana’s advocate suggested Ensuring Freedom, Bright Future’s new DV housing-first program. Our Housing Manager arranged rental assistance and continued working with Briana for several months, providing support and guidance.
With encouragement, Briana received in-house supportive services and worked to repair the relationship with her children. Briana identified that she wanted to engage in “fun activities” with her children. Brianna and her children went bowling for the first time and began the process of interacting as a positive family unit. As time progressed, the children opened up to their mother and began processing their own abuse trauma.
When Briana completed the program this November, she stated that she “feels safe now” and that would have never have left her husband had it not been for the rental assistance Bright Future provided to her through the Ensuring Freedom program. This is DV housing-first and survivor-driven advocacy!
*Name changed to protect confidentiality
