“2005 marked a huge turning point in my life as I moved from Pakistan to the United States. With so many changes, I craved the stability of a family. Within a few years, I became a wife and then a mother. As our children grew older, my marriage became unhealthy and abusive. My husband’s abuse affected me and my four kids for several years, and I knew that the best option was to leave. The turning point was in 2020 when I found out that my husband was molesting our children.
The relationship was no longer just unhealthy for me but dangerous for my kids. As I got in touch with Snohomish County’s Domestic Violence resource center, my husband’s behavior escalated to physical violence. I was trying to get shelter space in Everett, but there was no availability. I put our most essential belongings in storage and left the rest behind.
For the next 17 months, we lived in four shelters during the height of the COVID pandemic. I struggled with countless delays in finding legal help and other benefits and felt in the dark about the shelter timelines.
One Seattle shelter advised me to contact Northwest Justice Project (NJP) for assistance with a protection order. I did and was soon connected to Alison, who became my NJP attorney. She communicated regularly with me by phone and email, even as my kids and I relocated to a different shelter. Her unwavering compassion and positivity helped me stay motivated through the months-long process to receive a long-term Domestic Violence Protection Order.
I felt a huge relief once it was approved—to last until January 2028—covering myself and all of my children. I was working to complete my master’s degree, and my children were making big strides in therapy to process traumas. Alison’s attitude and attention to detail made me confident that progress was being made, even when the long delays in the courts were discouraging.
I feel so much safer thanks to NJP and the courts. With the combined support of each shelter and Alison’s advice, I am now settled in a new city with housing assistance and great schools for my kids. I am amazed by the determination of NJP’s team and the dedication they display for each person they encounter. For anyone in a similar circumstance, don’t hesitate — a better life is out there and NJP can help you achieve it.”
