Imagine if your home was not a sanctuary but a place of fear… I don’t have to imagine because I am one of the 598 survivors who Newhouse supported in 2023. My two young children and I found refuge at Newhouse when we had nowhere else to turn. I shudder to think about what could have happened if they didn’t have a room for us that night.
I’ll never forget October 10. Our lives were in danger, and I found a small window of time to escape.
The breaking point when my son saved me
My boyfriend once a loving partner, became abusive. For a year and a half, I suffered through verbal and physical abuse. He isolated me, threatened to kick me out, and didn’t allow me to go outside for a year and a half. Home felt like a prison.
The abuse escalated until one day he struck me so hard that I fell to the ground with a busted nose. My children witnessed it, which broke my heart. My teenage son watched me become an unhealthy, darker, sadder version of myself and found the courage one day to say:
“Mom, I want you to get my sisters out of here.”
His words gave me the strength to escape. He saved my life. As a parent, you usually save your children, but this time he saved me. My kids always saw me as a strong mom, but I knew this was a time to again show them strength. I was terrified of what my abuser might do next, and I had to protect my children. Desperate to find safety, I sought help at the Kansas City Missouri Police Department.
They brought us to Newhouse, our beacon of hope. I immediately felt safe, seen, and believed. They offered us everything we could need, from new clothes to healing therapy. While at Newhouse, I rediscovered my strengths and learned new skills to rebuild our lives. Newhouse changed everything for us. I am so grateful to them and humbly invite you to support other families like mine.
Thank you for believing in survivors like me
Thank you for believing in the strength of survivors. It is so scary to see how domestic violence numbers are rising. In the KC metro region alone, the number of unmet requests for domestic violence services continues to increase drastically.
In 2023, there were 17,086 requests for shelter, and in 2024, it grew to 24,491.
Missouri remains in the top ten deadliest states for women facing abuse.
As of today when I wrote this letter, 42 children, 25 adults, and 6 pets live at Newhouse. Additionally, dozens of outreach clients receive daily support. I would be so grateful if you could find it in your heart to support outreach clients like me and current residents. Every dollar you give helps break the cycle of abuse and creates a brighter future for families in Kansas City.
Thank you for reading my letter and believing in survivors like me. I AM a survivor. With your help, others can be too.
XOXO,
Me
P.S. For my safety, we aren’t sharing my name, but this is my true story, and I’m proud to share it.
