What does freedom mean to you?

To me, freedom is about liberation, cutting ties, healing, and reclaiming oneself. I want to express my gratitude for taking the time to read this. I’m not one to ask for help, but I’ve come to realize that we all need it at some point in our lives. We shouldn’t be ashamed to ask for help; we’ve all had struggles. This has been difficult for me to accept because I was taught to be silent, maintain family unity, and deal with things at any cost, even if it meant sweeping them under the rug. So, here I am now.

My name is Clara, and over the past few years, I’ve been working on reclaiming my voice, safety, freedom, health, and well-being not only for myself but also for our children. We’ve been healing from abuse and trauma to regain our sense of safety, identity, and self-worth. They are our greatest blessings and motivation.

As domestic violence survivors, it hasn’t been easy emotionally, physically, and financially. Freedom and reclaiming ourselves don’t come cheap and can be draining. When they lose control over us, they turn their attention to the one thing we love the most—our children.

We’ve had to make significant changes and adjustments. We lost our home, loved ones, friends, and family. We moved miles away from what we thought was our safe place. I’ve learned to prioritize what’s best for us, not what others want us to do, because they don’t know what’s best for us. I’m not perfect; I’m human and make mistakes, but I’ve learned the power of change and acceptance. I’ve built a safe place and know what it should feel like.

I know who can relate to this—it’s not easy, especially emotionally, physically, and financially. I’ve had to make it work for as long as I can. Just when I thought that this was finally over, I realized it was just the second half of the battle. I’ve fought through a lot and continue to try to stand strong.

Hearing your children say, “Mom, we’re proud of you and what you’ve accomplished to bring us this far. We don’t know how you do it,” fills me with the strength to continue standing here.

However, I regret to inform you that I cannot continue this journey alone. This is just the beginning, and it’s becoming increasingly draining, especially financially. Each year, we find ourselves burdened with the cost of legal fees and representation, not just for one set of proceedings, but for three. It’s a constant struggle to ensure that someone is legally represented to help us be heard.

The legal system is broken. It destroys our peace, security, and stability. Instead of delivering justice, it perpetuates a cycle of trauma and economic harm, rather than fostering safety for those in need.

This is why I am reaching out to you for your support and assistance. This process has financially drained our family. We’ve had to cover the cost of not only one set of legal fees and representation but three. It’s a daunting task, and we need your help to continue this journey.

If you would be willing to support us through this process, any help you can provide would mean the world to us. We would also be grateful for your prayers.

Thank you for your consideration.

Clara