On Saturday Briana and I went to a volunteer training session with an organization that works with RestoreNYC, a non-profit that helps rehabilitate former sex trafficked victims. The partnering organization assists women who are domestic abuse victims, providing services such as finding housing to connecting women with legal counsel.
Briana and I were surprised to learn that as volunteers, much of our training taught us not what to do but also what not to do. A lot of what we learned was how to establish healthy boundaries.
Domestic violence can take many forms but it stems from control and power. An abuser exerts power over their partner through controlling their finances, emotional manipulation, or physical assault.
Although I walked out of the training session feeling restricted in how I can interact with clients from the shelter, I realized later the center allows the women to reclaim empowerment by making their own decisions according to their own timeline within a safe environment. It was humbling to learn how best to love these women and children by respecting their decisions and looking after their safety.
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