When I was only 6 years old, my mom and I were tortured for over a year, mentally, emotionally and physically . She was kidnapped and held hostage, tied to a bed throughout six months. He swore he would kill her if we ever escaped, he would use me as leverage against my mom, during this time I’ve had to witness a variety of domestic abuse tactics he would use on my mom, but over time with help, we started over - given new identities, names, and social security numbers — and for many years, we believed we were safe.
But a few months ago, everything changed. My mom received a text message from a strange number with just his name. Then, she came home to find a disturbing message smeared on her door — the same way he used to torment her in the past. That's when I urged my mom to expose her identity and file for a new protective order. In doing so, she discovered that this man is now an elected official in Texas.
The court in Washington state granted a 5-year protective order, which finally gave my mom a chance to breathe again.
Yes, it's only a piece of paper, but for the first time in a long time, she felt more protected. Sadly, the harassment didn't stop. He has continued to make vile posts about my mom on social media and is now appealing the protective order. My mom's lawyer explained that it will cost $3,500 to fight the appeal - on top of the $5,000 already spent on securing the initial order.
The court has also required him to undergo a mental health evaluation and a perpetrator evaluation. Despite all of this, he continues to misuse his position and the legal system as tools of abuse — weaponizing lawyers and court processes as a form of coercive control.
As many of you know, abusers will go to any length to maintain control over their victims. Dragging them through drawn-out hearings and endless appeals is just another way to cause pain and financial hardship. This is why we are asking for help.
Your donation will go directly toward covering the costs of legal representation, as well as counseling, relocation, and other needs that will help my mom feel safe again. Any contribution, no matter the size, will make a meaningful difference for our family as we continue on this journey of healing and rebuilding.
Please donate and share to help us finally stop this cycle of abuse once and for all. Thank you for standing with us.