Support Maria's Urgent Move to Safety

Title: Help Me Move to Safety — Time’s Up

Hi, I’m Maria. I moved to LA believing I had found forever. But over time, things began to shift—subtly at first, then unmistakably. What once felt like a partnership began to feel like control.

As I started to feel emotionally manipulated and gaslighted, I turned to documenting my experience for clarity. What I didn’t expect was that leaving a recorder on would capture what appeared to be a planned conversation involving me—my breakdown, my isolation, and ultimately, my removal, including self-harm and suicide. The transcript is disturbing, and my therapist agrees that I am no longer in a safe environment.

I’ve secured employment and I’ve been saving, but I thought I had until October. I don’t. I now have to leave in days or a few weeks, but not months. This has become an emergency exit, not a slow transition. I'm now in fear for my mental stability and life. The funds I've saved up are supposed to go towards my trip to see my son graduate from UC Davis in June. And it breaks my heart to miss that. The priority is my safety so that I can live to see all my children's graduations.

I’m not asking for sympathy—I’m asking for help to bridge the gap between where I am and where I can start again, safely and with peace. Every bit helps. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a place that pretended to love you—then you already understand.

Thank you for reading, sharing, and supporting this next chapter of survival and rebirth.

—Maria