Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Helping a Girl Escape

Yesterday, I worked at the South Bronx center on E 149th St. Sometime during the afternoon, a girl and her boyfriend came in. I brought the girl back to discuss what her situation was and fill out the intake form. When I asked what her plans for her pregnancy were, she asked if I could close the door. She then explained that her boyfriend was forcing her to have an abortion against her will. She explained that she was completely against the act of abortion, but her boyfriend gave her no other choice. She also explained that she had been calling homeless shelters for over a week now so that she could get away from him because he was physically abusing her.

After hearing her situation, we immediately set to work. Her boyfriend was told that she would be some time with us, so it was advised that he come back in a half hour. After the guy had left, we immediately began making phone calls to find a home for the girl. We also told her to come back tomorrow so that we could set her up for a sonogram because it was too far in the day to get one at the moment. She said she would be able to. We then instructed her on how to sneak out of her house to go to a shelter when the time was right. With all her instructions given to her, she left for the day. I texted her later that night to make sure she was alright.

Today, she came back for her sonogram. She saw her baby and was so overjoyed. Her boyfriend still thought she was going to get an abortion sometime and that the sonogram was simply the first step in the process. She left today happy. She is still working out arrangements to find a place to live so please pray for "Rita" and for her safety against her boyfriend. She is keeping us updated on what is going on in her life.

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