Clicking Here will take you to Google, remember to hide your tracks
October 19, 2017

Linda was raised in a small village in Central America where she met her boyfriend, Milton. Their relationship was happy at first, but soon Milton became increasingly violent and Linda suffered beatings, humiliation, and even rape.  For years she felt trapped, not knowing how to find safety while protecting her children.

Finally, Linda had had enough of Milton’s abuse and fled to another town to seek safety. But Milton found her and threatened to kill her if she ever tried to leave him again.

Knowing the danger of trying to relocate inside her country, and knowing there was little the police would do to help her, Linda’s only choice was to flee to the U.S. leaving her children behind.

It was the most difficult thing she’d ever had to do, but Linda persevered in order to save her life. Once in the U.S., she was held in detention under excruciating circumstances, but still, she didn’t give up.

Linda found the Tahirih Justice Center, who placed her case with a team of dedicated pro bono attorneys. After her first asylum petition was denied, Linda’s legal team appealed her case to the highest immigration court in the country, supporting her throughout the long process. At the same time, Tahirih’s social services team worked tirelessly to advocate for Linda to gain access to vital benefits for which she was eligible.

After years of uncertainty, and with her Tahirih attorneys by her side, Linda finally achieved true safety when her case was approved. She was ultimately able to end the cycle of violence by petitioning for her children to join her in the U.S.

Names may have been changed to protect client privacy and safety. Photo may not depict actual client.

Do Something!

Spread the word and give generously to help others like Linda find the safety and peace they deserve.

MORE SURVIVOR VOICES


  • Anastasia
    "Today, I feel blessed. My son is safe, I have a good job and we have a community to count on. My life experiences have shown me that after the storm there’s calm."
    June 23rd, 2023
  • Camila
    “I hope my story is helpful to someone else…and can inspire many women to be stronger. We need to help young women identify toxic relationships, so that there are fewer Camilas that go through such difficult things, let alone have our children suffer.”
    November 21st, 2022
  • Brenda
    "Without their help, I wouldn’t have been able to reconstruct a life in which my daughters and I are safe."
    November 14th, 2022