Victims Now Live in Peace with Help of Guma’ Esperansa  and Commonwealth’s Criminal Justice System

(Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands)  Over the course of five years, Mary* and her four children sought help on five occasions from Guma’ Esperansa, the battered women’s shelter in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI).  Mary, an immigrant contract worker from the Philippines, and her U.S. born children shared a common fear.  Mary and her children suffered physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her common-law spouse.  During their first stay in shelter, staff assisted Mary and her children with finding housing and securing an order of protection.  Despite Mary’s efforts to escape him, Mary’s husband located her and her children within hours of his release from jail on bail.  Mary and her children attempted to escape on three subsequent occasions, but her husband found her each time.  The last incident involved her husband stalking her at her work and to the grocery store, and then blocking the taxi that she was in and attempting to run the taxi off the road.  He later came to her home where she and her children were staying, and forced his way inside.  The victim called the police and once again, went into shelter with her children.

Each time Mary contacted Guma’ Esperansa for assistance, staff supplied Mary and her children with food and clothing and helped her relocate to a new home.  The agency also collaborated with the CNMI Department of Public Safety on each new incident of abuse and stalking, the Domestic Violence Intervention Center and the Office of the Attorney General on Mary’s orders of protection and the criminal cases against her husband.    

After the final incident of abuse, Mary’s husband was successfully prosecuted for the crime of stalking – in the first –ever trial of that nature in the CNMI.  He was also convicted of three counts of violating an order of protection and two counts of disturbing the peace.  Because he had been previously convicted of two other felonies, he was deported from the Commonwealth.  After five long years, five stays in the shelter, and many appearances before the Family Court Judge, Mary and her children can finally sleep well at night.

In 2008 Mary was referred by Guma’ Esperansa to Micronesian Legal Services for assistance with filing for a U Visa as a victim of crime.  In August 2009 Mary received her United States Employment Authorization Document.  Presently, Mary is very close to receiving her U Visa, which will allow her to remain in the United States. 

*Not her real name.