Help Stop Military Family Violence

Tisha loves her career as a military nurse and adores living in the UK. But few people know that Tisha is a victim of domestic violence, struggling from day to day just to keep safe from an angry, violent husband.

In front of other people her husband is charming and successful. At home he is jealous, demanding, insulting and mean. He doesn't leave bruises on her face, neck or arms, hiding the evidence of his abuse from the sight of others.

Tisha has begged him to go to marriage counseling and anger management therapy but he refuses, denying he has a problem and says Tisha is to blame.

For several months Tisha has been emailing with our crisis email advocate Meg. Meg has been able to provide ongoing emotional support, safety planning and other guidance to Tisha.

Tisha decided to leave her husband and get her daughter Silvie away from her abusive stepfather. Tisha asked to be transferred to another post. She was able to do this quickly without raising suspicion.

While Tisha is still struggling emotionally with her decision, and still has to file for divorce, she is in counseling and relieved she and Silvie are safe and at peace.

Without donors like you we would not be able to provide ongoing, critical support to victims in crisis.

Thank you!

The Pathways Team

Ella loved living abroad with her military husband as an accompanied spouse, at least at first. She started a vlog to share with family and friends back home. She explored the culture, food, customs and idioms of the country with delight.

She had always been independent and enjoyed her autonomy. After about one year things began to change. Her husband began accusing her of having affairs and she had to report to him where she was and who she saw. He would randomly facetime her to make sure she was where she said she was.

Then the insults and demeaning started. Since he didn't hit her, Ella wasn't sure that his behavior qualified as abuse. But she felt awful, stopped doing her vlog, stopped seeing her friends and stayed at home. Still, he continued to be disrespectful and continued insulting her.

When Ella emailed our crisis advocate she was at a loss. She loved her husband but could not tolerate being treated so badly. She suggested they go to counseling but he refused.

After several months communicating via email with our crisis advocate, Ella decided to return home to the USA. She still has hope her husband will get counseling.

Ella is very grateful that she had someone she could communicate with confidentially to help her with such a difficult decision.

It's your donations that make it possible to help American military victims of violence get the help they need to make informed decisions about their lives.

Thank you!

The Pathways' Team

In 2022 we continued to receive dozens of requests for help from American military members and their spouses exeriencing abuse abroad. Our crisis email inbox is filled with heart breaking story after heart breaking story.

Victims who feel it wasn't possible to find a path to safety, or have a chance at building a life free of violence. Fear of getting their abuser in trouble, fear of being killed by their abusers, fear of utilizing the military system for reporting abuse. Many paralized in fear.

Victims like Shelby. Who we wrote to you about about back in October. She is now back home in the USA because she was able to receive ongoing information, emotional support, safety planning and resources she needed to make an informed decision from our crisis email advocate.

All because your support makes living free of violence a possibility!

We wish you a 2023 filled with peace & happiness!

The Pathways' Team

Shelby does not want to get her husband in trouble, but she knew after he strangled her one night, that she needed help to get away from him. She was afraid of what he might do if she told anyone about the abuse that was connected to the US military. However, she was desperate to communicate wtth someone.

Our crisis email was the perfect solution for Shelby. She has been able to communicate with our email advocate when she goes on her daily walk, one of the few freedoms her abusive husband allows, as long as she is not gone longer than 20 minutes. He has a surveillance camera setup so he knows when she leaves, and when she comes back.

Shelby thought being the accompanying spouse of a US military member overseas would be a wonderful experience. Nevertheless, it has turned into a nightmare. Shelby is in the planning stages of leaving.

You make it possible for a Pathways advocate to be there for her. Thank you.

The Pathways Team

*In these reports, we often change the name of the victim and may use a photo that is a likeness, but not the actual photo of the victim, for safety purposes.

Madison's husband is in the US military based abroad. She and her daughter Skylar joined him just before the pandemic hit.

Before Madison and Skylar joined her husband abroad, they had goen through the Military and Family Life Counseling Program. Her husband had lost his temper several times, throwing objects at Madison and yelling at Skylar. Things improved, so Madison was hopeful when she and Skylar followed him abroad a few months later.

Madison's hope was short lived. He blamed his incidents of rage on the pandemic and stress, and it continued to escalate.

Madison didn't know what to do when she contacted us via email for emotional support and guidance. After processing her options, Madison decided she had to remove Skylar away from the abuse in the home and return back to the US. She didn't want to report the abuse to the military in fear of getting her husband in trouble.

Decisions like Madisons' are extemely hard to make. She is trying to live her happiest life possible with Skylar. Your donations make it possible for us to be a source of support for victims as they move through the decision making process. Thank you! The Pathways Team