A Journey of Hope: Sophia’s Story

When Sophia first met her husband, she thought she’d found her protector. He made her feel seen and heard in a world that hadn’t always been so kind to her. He was her safe place to land. The person who was going to stand up for her, encourage her through hard situations, and make sure she’d always be okay. Having experienced her fair share of discrimination and alienation when moving to the United States, Sophia had found hope and a renewed sense of faith with him.

But when Sophia found out she was pregnant, everything changed. She had no idea that while she would be dealing with all the new changes to her body and life, she’d also be experiencing an ever-changing partner. He was the source of new levels of stress, shame, and pressure. While she was acclimating to her new body, she was also being ridiculed, threatened, and verbally attacked. He even attempted to pressure her into the idea of an abortion against her will. Fear surrounded her daily for what might set him off in a rage. Care and protection turned into yelling and coercion and Sophia was now feeling more alone than ever before.

“Instead of being supportive because I was pregnant, he chose to abuse me emotionally and make me feel worthless for how my body was changing.”

In desperation, Sophia attempted to flee the state to be with her mother, but her husband tracked her down and used the courts to force her back into his life. When she returned, he was full of old promises of a better life and a move to Minnesota where he would keep her safe, and they could raise their daughter together. But Sophia felt helpless and knew in her heart that her husband wasn’t the man she thought she married.

When Sophia went back to her husband, he insisted that she apologize to his entire family for attempting to kidnap their child and flee from him. It didn’t take long for him to shift back into his threatening and controlling behaviors. He told her that she needed him if she wanted to survive or get anywhere in life. He forbade her from working and forced her to receive state benefits and take advantage of the system. His controlling behavior isolated her and made her feel so alone. Sophia would weep in quiet moments and tremble with fear in other moments as her self-esteem continued to decline.

“I always felt a lot of empathy for people, and he realized that about me and used it to his
advantage. I wanted to make him happy and create a life with him.
He just wanted to control me and break me down.”

The more he mistreated her the more Sophia’s apathy grew. With each day, she cared a little less about making her husband happy and a little more about finding a way out. She looked at her daughter and wanted more for them both. It wasn’t easy, but when she found Alexandra House, she found the open door to a life without violence, control, or manipulation. With one call to the 24-hour emergency hotline, Sophia found the guidance, support, and encouragement she would need to leave and begin to heal and grow her own way. She started to feel again, dream again, and demand things for her and her daughter she didn’t realize they even deserved. Sophia was able to obtain a lawyer to handle a restraining order, child support, and ongoing legal battles while she received support with rent and worked towards buying a safe home for her new family. Unfortunately, even though Sophia has left her husband, the abuse hasn’t stopped. He still uses the court system to harass her, and he tries to control her through parenting decisions. When she doesn’t comply with his demands, he resorts to threats. It’s not the happy ending many of us hope for. Yet, there is hope in Sophia’s journey. She has found her voice and gained support. She understands her worth and what she and her daughter truly deserve. With the guidance of Alexandra House advocates and the encouragement of women in support groups, she’s no longer alone. She’s no longer silenced. While her challenges persist, she’s rediscovered her strength. She may still face difficult days, but she isn’t afraid like she once was. Sophia’s story isn’t over, but one day, her strength will remind someone else that they, too, can survive and break free.

“The services of Alexandra House were very important to me because I needed somebody to
listen to me, to understand me, and to support me. I can’t imagine where my life
would be today without them.”

Every day, local domestic violence hotlines receive an overwhelming 19,159 calls—about 13 calls every minute. In Minnesota alone, over 68,000 people experiencing rape and abuse seek help from domestic and sexual violence programs each year. Yet, too many are turned away due to a lack of resources. The reality is stark: 35% of women and 25% of men in Minnesota will experience physical violence, rape, or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.

You can help change that. Your generosity will be the turning point in Sophia’s story and for countless other survivors seeking safety and hope. We are deeply grateful for the critical support you provide, which directly strengthens the safety of our community. Our work depends on compassionate individuals like you, whose gifts enable us to meet the needs of every survivor who comes through our doors. Alexandra House relies on this collective support to ensure we remain a lifeline for those who need us most.

We have been fortunate enough to receive a generous $25,000 matching grant from an
Anonymous donor! That means every gift (up to $25,000) received by 12/31 will be doubled!

As you consider making a year-end gift to Alexandra House, we invite you to join our Luminary Society—a cherished community of monthly donors. Your contribution will not only provide sustained, lifesaving support for victims of domestic and sexual violence, but it will also have double the impact! With your help, we can continue offering survivors a lifeline, creating pathways to safety, stability, and a future free from violence. Your ongoing support is critical in ensuring that survivors like Sophia can rebuild their lives, and together, we can make lasting strides toward a world without violence. No matter how you choose to give, your generosity is deeply valued and strengthens our community. Please take a moment today to make your contribution and help bring us closer to an end to domestic and sexual violence. If you’ve already given, thank you—we are so grateful for your unwavering support!

Thank you for your generosity on behalf of all who benefit from the essential programs and services at Alexandra House. Your dedication to providing compassionate, comprehensive, and inclusive support allows every survivor to reclaim their life and contribute to a stronger, safer community. We send our heartfelt gratitude and best wishes to you and your loved ones this holiday season and beyond.

As you consider the size of your year-end gift, please think about the magnitude of the challenge our community is facing:

• 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men aged 18 and older in the US have been the victim of severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
• On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the US.
• Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crimes.

Donate Today!

View Sopia’s Story on YouTube:

To protect the privacy and safety of this survivor, her name has been changed, and stock photography has been used. These precautions are taken to honor her confidentiality and ensure her continued safety.