contents - Gallatin School of Individualized Study - New York ...

maria rivera Persevering134Maria riveraFinding Safetymy husband called me over the phone several times to threaten that if Igot an Order of Protection against him he would hurt our 18-year-olddaughter. I went back home to get my personal belongings after I had gone to stayat The Safe Place, where women go for protection. He threatened to kill me. Helocked me inside the apartment for about two hours with him inside. He cameafter me with a baseball bat, attempting to hit my head. He came close to myface and raised his fist as if to punch me. Again, he threatened that if I called thepolice, he would kill me. Our 18-year-old daughter was present and preventedhim from hitting me. I was able to run away from the apartment when he wasn’tlooking and go back to The Safe Place.I have been at The Safe Place or a secret place ever since. For about twomonths, his threats to kill me were escalating. In January 2007, he saw me in thehouse trying to get more of my things. He threw keys at me, hitting my leg, andI screamed. He said, “Get the hell out of here.” I ran into the bedroom and hidin the closet. My son came in the room and called me, “Mom, are you okay? Youcan leave the house now. For your safety, don’t come back.” I had black and bluebruises on my leg.Sometime that summer, when I was in theneighborhood, he saw me and he hit me inthe face with an open fist, leaving bruises.He often threatened to kill my dog. He oftenhit me with a closed fist, leaving black andblue bruises. He has thrown screwdrivers atme. He has pushed me down the stairs andthreatened me with a shotgun. He tried to rape me at knifepoint. He has oftencalled me, “Stupid bitch, fat bitch.”Sometime last year, my sister got an Order of Protection against him.I suspected that he might be mentally ill. I wanted him to stay away from meHe has pushed meDOWN the stairsand threatened mewith a shotgun.