Rachel Bellesen Emergency Fund

Rachel Bellesen - wife of Corey Bellesen, mother, friend, victim advocate, brave woman - has been charged with deliberate homicide in Sanders County for killing her abusive ex-husband in her own self-defense. She and her family need our help covering substantial legal expenses to defend her against these wrongful charges. The investigation of the incident is ongoing. We will update this page regularly as the case develops. Despite long-ago years of violence and pain, Rachel had been free of her abusive ex-husband for over a decade. She is a vibrant, smart, and driven woman. She loves her job, her dogs, her 4 grown kids, her baking, her many co-occurring projects, and her husband Corey (not in order of importance!). The tragic irony is stunning, that a domestic violence advocate who has supported so many survivors of domestic violence through her work at the Abbie Shelter now stands accused and in jail for protecting herself against an abusive man with a violent history (and a pending felony PFMA charge against someone else, to boot!) Rachel has endured an unimaginable trauma, and now must suffer through the retraumatization of the legal system. For all of us who love and appreciate Rachel, helping her and her family afford the best attorney possible is our priority. For all of the brave survivors she has helped, now she needs our help. Please give what you can to help lighten the mountain of legal and other expenses that her family is facing. **Note: This gofundme page is sponsored by friends of Rachel and is not affiliated with the Abbie Shelter.