Our thanks to Jennifer Bowles!

89. StorkNet Member: Help! My neighbor's husband is beating her. She went to the protective services and she did not go to their safe house. Instead she came home with me and I hid her out for a day or so and then she went home. The next day the CPS came and took her children. She went to court 24 hours later and the judge gave the children back, but they now have to go to court for charges against them both for neglect/abuse. There is no way she can afford an attorney to defend her and now the CPS agent told her she has to go to family counseling, and she has to be with her husband until the charges are resolved. He is still beating her but she really has to hide it now because they said if any more violence happens they will come and get the kids again and she won't get them back.

Now I know this sounds odd, I thought so too, but I went with her to the protective agency and I went with her to court and I have been with her each time they meet with cps, and I have tried to get her an attorney, pro bono only work for the children and everyone else wants 2500.00 to retain. I have called over 250 lawyers here in Las Vegas and there is not one that will help. I want to get her out of here secretly but can not. And now they go to trial and she still has no representation, and they are going to hang her in court. She also found out in court that her husband has been in prison for kidnapping a teenage girl he was dating 15 years ago and assault on that girl, and now they are holding that against her too. She did not know he had done this, and on top of all that she has been with this man since she was 16 years old and never knew all of this. She is 25 and completely lost. She doesn't know where else to turn, the courts are saying she is endangering her children but will not let her leave now that she is in court proceedings. I would like to get her help without anyone knowing and have heard of organizations that will hide you but not sure if that is the way to go either. I wouldn't even know where to start to even locate an organization like this.
Signed: Loosing faith in the law.

Jennifer: I hear and empathize so much with your frustration with the system. It sounds like you and she have both tried through all the normal and even unusual channels to find her some help. Have you talked with the administration at the domestic violence shelter? I have had the experience of overzealous protective services workers as well as those that will find no cause to remove the children from a very abusive situation. Your friend is in such a difficult spot. I recently had a client who was facing the worst possible situation I'd heard of and needed an attorney. She was able to get one and I believe it was through the local law school. If you have one in your area please check that out also. You are in a good position to advocate for this woman, but I would not seek out the line staff at protective services. Go to the supervisor or someone with some power in administration. I have seen that work for a client here.

Another more radical idea is to speak with the newspaper staff. If you can get her story out she will likely get some assistance and support from numerous other people. If she or you attend a church try appealing to them for some assistance. Check into Catholic Charities or other religious service groups. They have helped a lot of my clients with move in costs. She needs as much support from as many avenues as you and she can get. I don't know how to get services from what I refer to as the domestic violence "underground railroad". I do remember seeing an article years ago. You have to be very careful at this point because running while it may be a good idea as far as her survival she could be getting herself further into legal problems. I can only imagine what life on the run would be like and if caught she could lose her children permanently or worse have them given to her husband. Please let us know how you and she are doing.

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