Trigger Warning: mentions of domestic violence, sexual assault, substance abuse, racism

Please help my friend and her animals as they escape the south to settle up north. For privacy and safety reasons, I will not be disclosing the name or the face of this friend. Escaping is the most dangerous time so discretion is necessary now more than ever, but I can tell you her story:

After years of escalating abuse, a time for change has come. In the time she has been trapped with him, there has been rampant violence. From calling her racist slurs to threats of physical violence that became reality, things were already bad. He has isolated her from friends, family, taken her money and left her destitute to fuel his addiction. He has allowed his family to degrade and endanger her. The abuse also extended to the animals. They were not properly taken care of by him and he actively contributed to their harm and endangerment. Recently, he’s shot and killed one of their cats instead of effectively seeking proper help.

In the last year, it has truly culminated in a flash-point where escape is the only option.

His sexually aggressive behavior escalated and she became pregnant. This only made the abuse more intense. Forced to quit her job, she was then expected to take care of everything in the household. The doctors told her she was high risk.. He strangled her to the point of passing out, drove recklessly and got into an accident while she was in the car, carrying their baby.

She ended up having a miscarriage at nearly 20 weeks pregnant, nearly bleeding to death in the process. When her water broke, she had to fight to be taken to the hospital after her abuser and his family refused to help her. When she was able to safely leave the hospital, she was abandoned. Forced and expected to do housework. Forced to scrape whatever she could together for food and medicine while he blew money on his addiction.

She is about to be housed safely, having used the last of her money to secure her ticket north. She is using emergency funds to get all the way to New Jersey. There is no safe family in her former city. She’s currently doing gig work and temp work while looking for a steady job. She is also looking to go back to school after she’s able to fully settle. Money from this GoFundMe will go toward maintaining her housing, making sure she can access therapy, pay any minor vet bills and assure a chance to breathe after years of violence. We ask for your help in keeping this incredible woman safe.