"I Got Out of An Abusive Relationship"

TL;DR

Angie escaped cycles of abuse, addiction, and homelessness by finding safety, therapy, and community at Harvest Home, rebuilding her confidence and winning custody of both sons.

Key Points

• 1.Harvest Home is a nonprofit in Los Angeles serving unhoused pregnant women with two homes, offering therapy, doulas, financial programs, classes, and confidential addresses to protect women from abusers.
• 2.80% of unhoused mothers have experienced domestic abuse, and domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness for women, according to Harvest Home executive director Sarah.
• 3.Angie's abuse began at age 5 with childhood sexual abuse, which shaped her adult belief that her worth was tied to being sexually desirable to men, leading to self-worth issues, anxiety, and eating disorders.
• 4.After moving alone to Washington State, Angie entered a relationship where her finances were controlled, she was verbally degraded daily, and told she'd "end up a gutter rat" — destroying her confidence entirely.
• 5.Angie turned to prescription painkillers (Percocet) prescribed after a wisdom tooth surgery as her only escape from the abuse, which escalated into full physical dependence and multiple overdoses.
• 6.Statistics cited: women return to abusive partners an average of 7 times before leaving for good, largely due to financial control, isolation, destroyed self-worth, and fear of the unknown.
• 7.Pregnant and still in active addiction, Angie was sleeping in her car when she found Harvest Home at 6.5 months pregnant — too far along for detox or rehab, turned away everywhere else.
• 8.Angie's baby was born a month early but showed zero withdrawal symptoms, which she describes as a spiritual turning point: "I knew I would never touch another drug in my life."
• 9.Harvest Home rebuilt Angie's confidence through communal nightly dinners, group therapy using the "Seeking Safety" curriculum, cooking for other residents, and being surrounded by women who praised her strength genuinely.
• 10.Angie has now completed a medical peer support specialist course, is preparing for her state licensing exam, has her own two-bedroom apartment, and has full custody of both sons — including her 9-year-old, Draven.