May moved into the Radiance Centre, fleeing a controlling, physically, emotionally and verbally abusive relationship with her three children. She spoke of years of torment, including isolation from her family, being unwilfully accompanied to all appointments in the community, relentless monitoring by multiple security devices within and outside the family home, and being forced to handover her paychecks with a “weekly allowance” in return.
After building relationship and trust with our Radiance team, May’s determination to rebuild her family’s life on a physical and emotional level was rapid. She continued her nursing classes online she had been forced to give up after immigrating to Canada, and embraced the diverse emotional support options for herself and her children within our four walls. She often shared the importance of her children having all the opportunities to learn and grow, refusing for this experience to define their future or be seen as somehow their fault. May was proud she had quietly maintained a connection with her family abroad and her faith, without her partner being aware the last year they were together. She explained to our team the importance of being able to choose her own church and openly restore her feeling of faith and community.
May engaged our community transition support role to help identify local faith communities and other social emotional supports and resources for herself and her children, taking pride in making choices that were her own, and involving her children in the liberating experience of choice. After her stay at Radiance Centre, May expressed gratitude and appreciation not only for the safe and secure building at Radiance Centre, but also the non-judgmental support and belief that she knew what’s best for her family.
To support the important work at Radiance Centre, and to help empower more stories like May’s, DONATE NOW.