I did the “correct” things and still no resources.

My husband emotionally and physiologically abused me for a couple of years before our wedding, and even now after he came home and told me that he wanted a divorce a year and 2 months ago. He financially abused me and still continues to, to this day. He’s never physically abused me, and I feel like that’s the place where I get rejected by local resources.

I have a place to stay; he is not in my house. I don’t need to take up the bed that could go to someone else. I reached out to the one domestic violence legal aid in my area that covers three different counties, and after 3 months, I was told that I wasn’t eligible to receive even advice on how to proceed with a divorce when I only have $200 sitting in my account. My husband knowingly left me with no car, and little money to my own. I still have to contact him for money so that I don’t have to ask my mother for everything.

When I had the intake interview, I never said, “I don’t feel like my abuse wasn’t serious”. I didn’t lie; I couldn’t come up with everything that he’s done to me, while I was on the spot. Nearly all of the questions that they asked me were related to physical abuse. I’m so frustrated that abuse is downplayed even more if it isn’t physical. The only thing that this legal aid left me with was the number of a general legal aid group that covers the entire state. Which is better than nothing; but now I get to try to compete with everyone else because I can’t afford an attorney and don’t want to be screwed over with legally. I wouldn’t even mind waiting for my case to go on with the DV legal aid group, but it’s not even an option. My mother went through the same kind of abuse with my dad, and now I understand even more why she didn’t take more action. I wish that I lived in a better state that had more resources available. I live in a southern state in the United Stares. I’ve been stressed out, anxious, and crying over the last few days because of my situation, and I opened up the rejection email this morning. It’s hard to feel like nothing will change for me.