Shirley C. Rivadeneira
Hana* came to the United States with dreams and anticipation of living a new life with her husband. Having escaped a previous abusive marriage, she recognized that the longer she stayed in such a relationship the more physical abuse she would suffer. Shin,* Hana’s US-citizen husband, would boast out loud to her how he had the advantage because the United States was his home and he could do anything he wanted to her. Hana realized that she needed to find a way to escape and protect her life.
I learned about the Tahirih Justice Center when I attended American University, Washington College of Law. While I worked at the school’s International Human Rights Law Clinic, I heard of the heroic efforts that Tahirih’s founder, Layli Miller-Muro, had undertaken to secure asylum for an immigrant woman from Togo. Her story inspired me and my fellow classmates to fight for our asylum clients with the same passion as Layli. Little did I know that a few years later I would find myself taking on a pro bono case from Tahirih when a colleague, who was leaving the firm, asked me to work on a Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) petition on behalf of a Korean woman.
My client’s case was challenging because there was little easily attainable evidence to build her case upon. She had only lived with her abusive husband for a short time before she fled his house, and there were almost no witnesses who could corroborate her story. Other charitable organizations had turned her away, telling her that it would be too difficult to win her case. Her life, however, turned around when she finally contacted Tahirih.
With little other evidence to work with, I knew that we had to convincingly relate the facts of her story. It was daunting for my client to tell a complete stranger (even with the help of a female Korean interpreter) the most intimate details of her life. To ease some of her own fears and inhibitions, I had her attend several counseling sessions with a psychologist. And the strategy worked! My client began to gradually reveal the extent of the abuse she had endured at the hands of her US-citizen husband. And it was the power of her testimony that helped me build a persuasive argument on her behalf. Within a few months of filing our paperwork, immigration officials approved her VAWA petition.
My client and I have remained friends even after the case concluded. We continue to meet for coffee or lunch whenever we can and she keeps me informed of her activities. She is looking to get a new job and take more English classes. I am glad that I was able to help her start on this new journey.
From a legal perspective, this case reminded me again of some of the lessons I had learned in the human rights clinic—foster trust with your client, show empathy, find as much evidence as possible, and, if everything else fails, build a case for appeal. However, this experience also taught me something else—it taught me about the strength of a woman’s spirit in the face of adversity. That no matter how difficult others may paint your case to be, it is precisely at that moment that we should not give up and instead we should let our pro bono clients inspire us to be more creative in our advocacy.
Working with the Tahirih Justice Center was an excellent experience. It gave me the opportunity to provide legal assistance to my client and help her begin a new chapter in her life. Without Tahirih’s willingness to take hard cases like Hana’s, I am not sure where she would be today. At this point in our nation’s history, when all of us are being called to serve our country, what better way to make an impact in our community than by providing pro bono representation to those in need. I hope that other attorneys join Tahirih’s efforts to provide legal services to immigrant women and girls and ensure that they receive the relief that they are entitled to under the law.
*Names have been changed to protect privacy.
Become A Pro Bono Advocate
We are always looking for attorneys willing to give their time and energy to help women and girls in need. Participating in our Pro Bono Attorney Network offers you an opportunity to transform the life of an immigrant woman or girl.
To read more visit the Pro Bono Attorney Network section of our website. If you have questions or are interested in providing pro bono help, please email legal@tahirih.org.
