Susanna’s Story

My name is Susanna. I spent three years in a terrifyingly violent and emotionally abusive relationship. There was not a day that went by that I was not beaten, threatened, and emotionally battered. Towards the end, he even began beating me while I was holding our one-year-old daughter. We lived an isolated, controlled, and rigid life. My daughter was hardly ever allowed out of her crib. Although I did not have a plan to leave, I saw an opportunity to get myself and my daughter out safely, and I took it. We stayed in a local shelter in my hometown for a couple nights until a spot opened up far enough away so that we would be safe.

Once we got settled, the warmth and safety of the shelter house allowed my daughter to eventually become a delightful, happy, precocious, inquisitive toddler with a beautiful sense of curiosity and self. Being here has given me a sense of freedom that I was not sure I would ever again attain, and the chance to rebuild a happy, healthy life for myself and my daughter. This peaceful, supportive environment has given me the gift of time to heal, to grow, to rebuild. I am eternally grateful for the opportunities the Circle staff has given me, and most importantly, the bonds we have created with each other.