Her right hand shook uncontrollably as she raised it to swear she would tell the truth and nothing but the truth during her testimony. It was almost impossible to make the words come, and when they did her voice trembled, and the tears fell. She sat alone at the Plaintiff's table in a strange courtroom, only three feet away from the man who seven days ago choked her, blacked her eye, and threatened her at gun point. This man was her husband for over twenty-five years, and the beatings went on for almost that length of time. She put up with the abuse because of the children, but now they were grown with their own families. She had wanted to leave many times, but there was no place to go and no way to support herself. Now there was no money for a lawyer and her husband's lawyer was telling the judge that his client wanted to move back home. He had cooled down and he promised not to hit his wife again. But she knew the promises would not be kept, she knew how hard it is to call for help when you live miles from your closest neighbor and you don't have a phone, what she didn't know was how to make the judge understand.

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She drove in the yard in a rusty old car the evening of the second day Wynona entered law school. She had walked out on him after ten years of marriage and two young children. What she brought with her, clothes and personal items for her and the children that were crammed into six green garbage bags, represented her worth after years of hard work and putting up with the never-ending abuse. That night she and her children began a journey with difficult crooks and hairpin turns, but the roads eventually lead to independence and a life where violence no longer exists.

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One of the first calls HJWT received was from a young mother with three children who had been beaten and locked out of her home. She had run to the nearest neighbor to call the police, not because of the bruises she received, but because she was afraid her partner would hurt her children. She lived on a dead end back road without a telephone. She did not have a license or a car. She had received a temporary protective order, but now he had hired an attorney, which meant without even a high school education she would need to litigate for her and her children's safety in a courtroom against an experienced attorney. HJWT provided this mother with transportation for court hearings and court ordered supervised visits for the children. We were able to finalize the relief from abuse order and gain custody of the children for her. Now that she is no longer being abused, this mother is making a difference in her own life and in her children's lives. She has moved into subsidized housing where she can walk to work and to nearby stores. She is working through a state program to get her high school equivalency diploma and driver's license.

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Another client had been plagued by an abuser she was married to for eight years. He stalked her and her children before filing for divorce, but did agree that she could have custody of children. He seldom paid child support. A short while after the divorce, he filed bankruptcy and tried to force her to sell the home where she lived with the children. She hired an attorney to prevent this, but she is still paying that bill. When the Office of Child Support caught up with him, he then filed a Relief From Abuse request on behalf of the children, claiming she was neglecting and allowing the children to be abused. HJWT with the help of Vermont's child protective services was able to demonstrate to the Court that the abuser's allegations were untrue. This mother has a license, but no automobile. HJWT provided transportation for court hearings, school conferences, and meetings with the child protective social worker. This woman, too, is making a difference. She is taking college and computer courses so that she can return to the work force and be able to support her children without help from social welfare. This woman joined Wynona on a National Public Radio broadcast about HJWT. On that program she described how traumatic these experiences had been for her. Over eight hundred miles away, a businesswoman heard this mother and wanted to help. She sent an extremely generous donation for the HJWT client who used this money to pay the ex- husband his equity in the home. Now he can never threaten to take her home away from her again.

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One woman came to HJWT looking for a Relief From Abuse order. Her husband was an alcoholic and extremely emotionally disturbed. He had been physically abusive to her and threatened anyone she came in contact with, her therapist, and eventually even the judge. We filed her divorce, but it had been extremely hard for her financially to carry the house and car payments and other bills. I taught this woman how to set up and follow a monthly budget. I called her creditors and established payment plans she could meet. For a few months, she came into the HJWT office once a week until she felt she could handle her finances on her own. Her divorce has now been finalized, the house has been deeded to her alone and she is experiencing an independence she has never had before. Most importantly, she is now making a difference in other's lives by volunteering on the local advocacy group hot line.

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Another woman sat in the HJWT office less than two years ago with her eyes downcast--the shame obvious on her bruised face. She had hidden the abuse for over a decade. We assured her that there was no need for shame on her part; instead she could be proud for coming forward--for wanting to stop the generational cycle of abuse. Today, she continues her managerial job while pursuing a life-long desire to have a singing career. She recently purchased a new home for herself and her son. And now she wants to help others. She is speaking out to break the stereotype that all abused women are from low income families, she has participated a number of public awareness television spots with Wynona, and is helped start the Women In Transition Group. Connie Button's band, The Sugarmakers plays at local clubs and events and has recorded a demo CD. One song, written by Connie, talks about her experience with domestic violence.

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At the time of referral one client had recently received a one year Relief From Abuse (RFA) that included a visitation schedule for the father to have supervised visits with their son. The Defendant was extremely violent and often in front of the children. The client had tried to leave him several times in the past, but had never been able to make a complete break due to his promises to change. He was charged criminally for the most recent attack in which he slammed her head into her car window. We met with the client at a local bagel bakery and the HJWT Southern office where the woman reported the Defendant's violation of the RFA. Violation of the RFA occurred when the Defendant contacted the client. She was terrified and felt like she would never be free. HJWT was able to help get the Defendant charged for this violation. This client has changed dramatically since she was able to free herself from this relationship. She has a steady job, a place of her own to live, and although she still fears the Defendant, she has found her inner strength that he had stifled for so many years.

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Another case was referred to us by the mother's attorney who was involved in a divorce and a high conflict custody battle. At the beginning of the divorce the daughter was spending every weekend with her father and had since revealed that her father makes her feel very uncomfortable by treating her "like his girlfriend" and even coming into the bathroom while she showered. Shortly after this revelation, her older sisters came forth with very similar, although more egregious incidences of abuse. The father is now facing lewd and lascivious charges for his actions. Based on her father's behavior, this young girl has expressed a desire to change the visits. She has moved out of state and only wants to come back once a month. She felt like she does not have a voice in family court. HJWT was able to obtain supervised visits for this child.

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The Women's Crisis Center referred a client to us because she had filed for an RFA and a divorce and needed representation. She had little income and was supporting herself and two children. Her husband was physically abusive and very controlling. He abused her in front of her two young daughters by a previous relationship, and she said that both children were very afraid of him. HJWT represented this client at her RFA hearings and for her divorce.


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One case was referred to HJWT from PAVE (Project Against Violent Encounters). At the time of referral, the client had recently received a one- year RFA that included a visitation schedule for the father to visit with their daughter. The client worked full time to support her daughter with no assistance from the Defendant who had been abusive both verbally and physically throughout their relationship. Despite the RFA, the Defendant was continuing to harass the client through phone calls and comments to their daughter. Our client was unable to afford an apartment for herself and the child, and clearly unable to afford legal representation. The Defendant was able to afford an attorney. Our client needed child support as the defendant refused to assist her in any way. At the initial court date we were able to establish a child support order, which has enabled this mother and child to find a small, but nice apartment for a new home.

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