STORY 2

I grew up surrounded by domestic violence in Indonesia. Friends were abused by their parents for not doing their homework. I saw people smack their kids on the street. At home, it was worse. My father horrifically abused us, especially my mother.

To this day, I can’t erase the image of him beating her with a helmet. I lived in constant fear.

When we moved to the U.S. when I was 10, I hoped things would change. But my dad didn’t. That violent childhood left me with deep trust issues and overwhelming feelings of insecurity. Adjusting to life in America was also confusing – I went from a strict Muslim environment to a culture with more freedom. I felt like such an outsider.

At 15, I got pregnant. I moved into Interval House, and the counseling I received helped me finally understand the cycle of abuse. I saw for the first time that my parents’ relationship was not healthy. I spent two years raising my son in the safe, loving environment of the shelter. The staff became my family.

There, I learned to identify red flags in others that might indicate a history of violent behavior. I learned how to trust again.

I don’t think I would be alive today if I had stayed with my father. He would have killed me. But Interval House gave me a new life. It gave me the chance to go back to school, to discover myself, to see how my religion and culture had oppressed me, and to eventually become a counselor here and advocate for others. This place is a blessing.

I married my teenage boyfriend, the father of my child. We’ve been together 15 years. He’s a wonderful dad. I’m proud that our son was raised in a loving home. He has no idea what it means when someone takes off their belt, because he was never hit.

We used to visit the shelter every Christmas until he was about 8. My husband would dress up as Santa and our son as an elf. Today he’s 14, and he still loves Interval House. In fact, he’s eager to volunteer there!