Escaping domestic violence can be extremely risky, difficult, and even life-threatening. When you are a stranger in a foreign country, the uncertainties and dangers of the situation are only compounded. For these reasons, the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center (AODVC) was founded. The organization exists to help women in abusive relationships, households, or environments escape safely and permanently. AODVCC recognizes that finding help can be almost impossible overseas, where friends and family are not available, and embassies can be less than concerned. This knowledge is based on first-hand experience from the organization’s founder, Paula Lucas, who personally experienced what it is like to feel helplessly trapped in a violent, abusive relationship overseas. Wanting to help others in the same position, she opened the crisis line while still in a domestic violence shelter herself.
The crisis line has helped women all over the world get to the safety of a shelter, and eventually back to America. The abuser often has control of finances and passports to control the victim and keep them isolated in the foreign country. The crisis line’s first goal is to liberate the victim from these restrictions and get them to safety. Once this is accomplished, the focus shifts to helping women getting financially stable, finding housing, and if they have children, making sure they are cared for.
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