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Domestic Abuse Advocate Help - Part 3

Did you know that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime? (RESPOND Inc.)
Did you know that 30% to 60% of intimate partner violence perpetrators also abuse children in the household? (National Domestic Violence Hotline)
Did you know that leaving a domestic violence situation is the most dangerous time in an abusive relationship? And that it takes an average of 7 attempts for a survivor to leave their abuser and stay separated for good? (RESPOND Inc.)
These statistics speak for themselves. They are part of the reason that HAVEN of Mercy was formed. The people who formed HAVEN saw the importance and value of walking alongside the vulnerable sheep who are being abused in our midst.
At HAVEN of Mercy, we have domestic abuse advocates that are ready to help you navigate the difficult trial that God has placed in your life. Our advocates are well trained in domestic abuse. They are aware that the life you are living right now is not the life that you had ever envisioned, and that what you are experiencing does not match God’s design for a Christian marriage. They are ready to help you sort through the complete and utter disbelief, confusion, hurt, pain, and agony that you are walking in right now.
HAVEN of Mercy advocates walk alongside a victim, giving them love, giving them hope, helping them to put into words the unspeakable horrors that they have endured. HAVEN advocates are able to help victims of domestic abuse find clarity by helping them organize their thoughts, communicate with their consistory, file a PPO, find a good lawyer, help family members to understand the reality of the situation, help find good counselors for the victim to be able to work through their trauma, and many more things.
One thing that is important, that every victim who is considering contacting HAVEN for advocacy help should consider, is this: HAVEN advocates do NOT tell a victim what they should do with their lives. Our advocates understand that the victim is in control. The advocate's job is merely to support and enable a victim to make her own God-honoring decisions…to regain control of her life…the control that long ago was lost to a spouse who made it their mission to dominate every single portion of their lives. (Note: “control” here is referring to earthly decisions and choices. We acknowledge and confess that ultimately God is in control.) Our goal as advocates is to watch our victim go from victim, to survivor, to thriver!
Beloved abuse survivor, if you are reading this, and you grieve as one who has no hope, please know that we see you, we care for you, and we ache for you. And there is One greater than us Who sees you and cares for you too. Our prayer is that if it is His will, He will lead you to us, to find rest in our HAVEN of Mercy.
“Nearer, still nearer - close to Thy heart,
Draw me, my Savior, so precious Thou art;
Fold me, O fold me close to Thy breast;
Shelter me safe in that Haven of Rest,
Shelter me safe in that Haven of Rest.”
-Written by a domestic abuse advocate



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