Alice’s Story: A New Life

Adriana was courted while still living in Mexico.  Her boyfriend, who lived in the U.S., would write her love letters, send her flowers and visit her every opportunity he had.  After several years, with her VISA approved, they married and she moved to the U.S. to be with him.

 

Adriana was promised a home, a good life filled with love, joy and romance.  That life quickly turned into a nightmare.  Shortly after arriving in the U.S. she was living in her in-laws basement, isolated from the rest of the family, and had no access to money for necessities; her husband was controlling everything.

 

Her husband insulted her, accused her of cheating on him, and did not allow her out of the house.  Eventually she was able to start babysitting for a neighbor but soon after she was required to pay rent, purchase her own food and other necessities, and her husband took the rest of her money to travel to Mexico.

 

Adriana turned to her priest for guidance.  He advised her to leave him because he did not value her as a wife or woman.  She tried fighting for her marriage but eventually was thrown out with no money and no where to go.

 

Adriana turned to Family Rescue for counseling for the verbal and emotional abuse she had endured.  Family Rescue also advocated for her and connected Adriana with legal services for her divorce.  She attended Family Rescue’s financial literacy classes, and was assisted in job readiness and interview skill which helped her in obtaining a full-time job.  Family Rescue also assisted Adriana in connecting with immigration services to renew her VISA.

 

Adriana has gained the confidence she needed to believe in herself again.  Today she has a full-time job, her own apartment, car and gained permanent residency.