Gina's mother was mentally abusive and would often tear her down verbally. When she was 17 years old, Gina left her home and moved in with her boyfriend. At first, everything was great, and he was just what he needed to escape from the home that was never really a home to her. Over time, her boyfriend began to display similar behaviors to her mother. He was emotionally abusive and became physically abusive on a couple of occasions. However, they were soon to welcome a baby girl into the world. Gina describes her daughter as her everything. Once her daughter was born, she knew she would do everything she could to care for her and give her what she needed. She got a job and supported her family the best she could. Over time, Gina's relationship with her daughter's father dwindled and they separated.
A few years later, Gina finally felt ready to be in a relationship again. Looking back, Gina describes the relationship as the perfect abusive cycle. It started out in the Honeymoon Phase. Her abuser would buy her everything she desired and spoiled her with his money. As time went on, the tension building started. Small insults were thrown out and minor violence. Gina admits it was hard to see this as abuse. Who would spend all their money just to abuse her? One thing led to another and before she knew it, the abuse was at its worst. The physical abuse was at its all-time high and the emotional abuse was ongoing, several times a day. Her abuser did not want her to spend time with her daughter and told her how bad a mom she was for letting her daughter live with her father. Gina felt alone as no one believed her recounts of the abuse. This was the "perfect man" giving her everything she could desire, and Gina was just being dramatic. Gina felt she had no one to turn to.
After enduring years of abuse, Gina decided one day that she had enough. She escaped to her mother's house, where her mother's boyfriend stated she could not stay there. It was then that Gina turned to The Haven. While in emergency shelter, Gina worked hard to overcome the abuse she has endured through weekly individual and group therapies. In addition, Gina was assisted by the housing advocate and found a home that was everything she was looking for, including walking distance from her new job! Gina states with the help of The Haven her life is finally coming together. She is in the midst repairing her relationship with her daughter and hasn't been this happy in a long time! She states that the work she is doing is for her, but she also wants to show her daughter how strong she can be. She wants to be a role model for her daughter for years to come and hopes to show her daughter how not to settle for less than she deserves.
