It was only nine months ago when Patricia grabbed her three children and escaped to a local motel room one night. The 26-year-old mother was a victim of domestic violence, and had to figure out her next steps.
“I never felt regret for leaving,” said Patricia, who is not using her real name in this story out of concerns for her safety. “It was hard. I felt really bad, irresponsible, that I took them out of their home. I didn’t mind doing it for myself, but for my babies, it was a different thing.”
She said she does regret leaving her car and most of the children’s possessions behind. The voice of regret comes through when she says her 6-year-old “saw everything” between her and her boyfriend. So, she had to make a decision: stay in the abusive relationship and potentially lose her children, or get up and leave.
