I know what it feels like to have to plan an escape in silence. I was lucky enough to pack my things and secretly leave while he was at work, but not every woman gets that opportunity. Some women never make it out alive, and that is the part people still do not want to sit with. Leaving is not simple, and it is not safe just because someone decides they are done.

Abuse is not always black eyes and bruises. Sometimes it is isolation, fear, control, and the slow change in someone’s personality until they barely feel like themselves anymore. Sometimes there are no obvious signs at all because people get so used to hiding what is happening behind closed doors. When someone is living like that, missing work to meet with a lawyer, move, go to court, or just survive should not cost them their paycheck or their job.

That is why I am calling on state lawmakers to require employers to provide paid domestic violence leave, confidential safety planning support, and basic workplace protections for survivors. Women need time to get documents, secure housing, protect their children, pets, and make a plan without risking their income. Employers should also be required to respond safely and privately when a worker says they are in danger, not leave them to figure it out alone.

Please sign this petition if you believe surviving abuse should not mean losing your job too. Please sign if you understand that safety takes time, planning, and support. Please sign if you want to make sure more women actually get the chance to leave and not go back to an unsafe situation.