“Recently, I met for the first time with a client I’ll call Mary. She was polite but never smiled. She lived in fear of her husband whose violent outburts were increasingly frequent. “I’m a 65 year old woman,” she said. “I work 6 days a week at a grocery store. I just want to live in peace and on the 7th day spend time with my grandchildren.” We went to court together and we stood side by side in the courtroom for a brief moment we clasped hands, and I gave hers a slight squeeze. It was a highly contentious hearing, but we walked out of the courthouse with the protection of an order. A few weeks later, Mary came to meet with me and I almost did not recognize her smiling face. “You changed my life,” she said.
My team and I represent people who have lived in fear in their own homes, who have survived violence, verbal abuse, and coercive control being inflicted upon them in the place that is supposed to be the safest, by the person who is supposed to love them the most. They are victims of domestic violence and they come to tell me their stories, the most difficult and painful experiences of their lives. They trust me to ensure that their stories are told and fully understood. They are people who want to live their lives in the way that many of us do and likely take for granted. They hope to raise children in a home free of fear and chaos, to be able to sleep safely through the night, to do their jobs well, and to enjoy a meal with family.
Can you imagine what an honor it is to do this work? What a privilege it is to be trusted by, to advocate for, and to walk alongside victims of domestic violence – offering them the dignity that every person deserves and playing some part in bringing them peace.
In my own life and over the course of my career, I have been surrounded by family, friends, and colleagues who have believed in me, advocated for me, walked alongside me. And that has made all the difference. John and Kathryn Hamill. My husband Thaddeus, my sons, my nephews and nieces. I am uniquely blessed to have a life full of strong, smart, kind women. My mother and my three sisters were the original four, and this community grew and continues to grow.
My life and my career have been forever changed by my work at The Second Step, and by Sue Ross, our Executive Director, who has mentored me, sponsored me, and believed in me these past eight years. Sue came to court with me for the first case that I took to trial. We stood side by side in the courtroom, our client with us, and for a brief moment Sue and I clasped hands, and she gave mine a slight squeeze.
Thank you Sue, thank you MOVA, thank you all.” – Amy Hamill, Director of Steps to Justice
