Hello, I’ll start by saying that I am currently trying to escape a deeply abusive relationship.   Sadly, this is the reality for countless victims of domestic violence across the United States—women, men, and especially parents with children. These survivors aren’t just hurt. They’re stuck, because the systems meant to protect them are underfunded, unrealistic, and often unavailable.

This includes survivors of narcissistic abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, and other forms of domestic trauma—not just physical violence. These are very real forms of control and manipulation that destroy lives from the inside out.

Abusers know this. They isolate, control, and destroy every possible lifeline a victim could use to escape. Many victims are left with nothing—no income, no family, no safe options. And when they finally reach out for help? They’re met with a choice that no one should have to make:

Leave everything behind-or stay and suffer.

Too often, the “help” offered is a list of overcrowded shelters, or advice to move in with family or friends—resources not everyone has. Victims are forced to give up homes, pets, personal belongings, jobs, and even their children’s schools just to survive. These are grown adults being told to start from zero. Many are also expected to move into low-income housing, lose access to healthcare, or change school districts—all while coping with trauma.

Meanwhile, the abuser stays. In the house. With the furniture. With control.

This is not freedom. This is forced sacrifice.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States—that’s 10 million people a year. And tragically, many of those who stayed were killed or severely injured, simply because they had no other viable option.

It is beyond time for change.

Domestic violence survivors deserve realistic, dignified, and compassionate solutions—not more stress and suffering. We need:

• Increased funding for survivor-centered housing programs

• Laws that allow victims to stay in their homes when it’s safe

• Emergency resources that protect children and pets during transitions

• Financial, legal, and emotional support for rebuilding—without shame or sacrifice

No survivor should be punished for wanting safety.

This is a national crisis—from East Coast to West Coast. These stories are not isolated—they are happening every day, to people in your city, your neighborhood, maybe even your own family.

Let’s stop pretending this is acceptable.

Let’s stop asking victims to give up everything to escape pain they didn’t cause.

Let’s give survivors a voice, a path, and a future.

Please sign this petition to demand change now. Together, we can build a system where victims are supported, not stripped of their dignity. Together, we can help prevent another family from grieving the loss of their loved one due to Domestic Violence and Domestic Abuse.