New Mexico Domestic Violence Program Secures Safety, Legal Status for Survivor and Daughter

Dolores is from Venezuela.  While living there, she married Alan, an American citizen. Dolores eventually moved to New Mexico with Alan and Connie, Dolores’ 13-year-old daughter from a previous marriage.  After arriving in New Mexico, Alan became extremely abusive.  He beat Dolores almost every week, and refused to allow her to work, to take English classes, or even to leave the house.  He installed locks on the windows and locked Dolores in the house during the day.  He allowed Connie to go to school, but did not allow her to socialize with friends or participate in any extracurricular activities and literally locked her in the house in the evenings and on weekends.  He also began viewing pornography in front of Connie and leaving pornography in her bedroom.  He would walk into the bathroom while she was showering and constantly made sexually suggestive comments to her.  Both Dolores and Connie were terrified to say anything due to their undocumented status.  

One day, Alan went to pick up Connie at school and saw her holding hands with a boy.  That evening, he became enraged.  He beat and choked Connie and called her a whore who “cheated on [him].”  He brandished a gun and threatened to kill both Dolores and Connie.  The next day, he insisted that Connie visit the school nurse to get checked for sexually transmitted diseases.  Connie visited the nurse while Alan and Dolores waited outside.  Connie disclosed the abuse to the school nurse.  The nurse called police, Alan was arrested, and Dolores and Connie were transported to the domestic violence shelter in Albuquerque.  Staff at the shelter put them in contact with Enlace Comunitario.

The legal staff of Enlace Comunitario represented Dolores in a protection order hearing and in a divorce case.  They also assisted her in navigating the criminal system because Alan was charged with domestic violence felonies.  Dolores was granted a divorce from Alan and received a protection order that was valid for one year and which ordered that Alan make support payments.  She secured an apartment with the assistance of the shelter.  Enlace staff coordinated with the Catholic Charities immigration attorney, and both Dolores and Connie were granted legal immigration status through the VAWA process. Dolores is currently working full-time at an industrial laundry and is taking English classes in the evening.  Connie is an honor roll student in the 8^th grade.  Alan was convicted of domestic violence, left the state, and currently has a warrant out for his arrest.