Help a DV Victim, Part 3
If you’re new to this newsletter, welcome! This isn’t generally the regular content… but it’s incredibly important to me — and I could use your help.
I wrote a few newsletter messages earlier this year about my friend Katy and the unfortunate situation she has found herself in. You can go back and read the initial post and follow-up.
The fight against Katy’s abuser has continued, with a variety of twists and turns that I won’t go into here. She has been through 407 days of essentially being homeless, couch surfing, and staying in hotels, Airbnbs, and other short-to-mid-term spots.
Since fleeing her home on July 20, 2023, she has spent well over $100,000 trying to stay safe while also fighting litigation brought by her abuser. Her credit cards are maxed out, and she is very nearly at the point of bankruptcy because of this man.
This is a woman has worked as both a domestic violence and sexual violence victim advocate — and a college Title IX coordinator. She does amazing work every single day in higher ed policy around discrimination, opportunities for first-gen students, poverty, and more. She even spoke at SXSW this year on climate change and education.
But, 13 months of fighting is a lot.
She had to leave her dogs with her abuser when she fled. She very rarely gets a chance to see them, and they are not being well cared for.
A week before her birthday, her abuser removed $10K+ worth of her personal belongings (including furniture and priceless family heirlooms) from her home — that, again. he’s been squatting in for the past year without covering any of the bills (approx $1800/month).
If that wasn’t enough, he has left a beyond filthy home for her to clean up after.
She is beyond burnt out.
Katy’s household bills, including mortgage, are due on September 1st, and she already had no idea how late she would be paying that (~$1800).
She is currently at a meditation retreat for some much-needed rest. I was hoping that she would be able to process some feelings while there and find some healing. But, she checked her email just before disconnecting for the weekend just to see her new legal bill — $4,000 due ASAP.
Ideally, she needs ~$6,000 by the end of this long weekend.
She is so close to the finish line, but needs our help.
If you can directly donate to Katy’s GoFundMe, that would be amazing!
If not, I totally understand. (I am in the same boat.)
You can still help! One thing that helps immensely is getting more eyes on this GoFundMe. If you can comment on or share posts that I’ve made (linked below) — or even make your own posts on social media sites — it would really mean a lot.
Text on the image: On July 20, 2023, Katy fled her home for her own safety. In the last 406 days, she has had to spend well over $100k to stay safe while also fighting litigation brought by her abuser. She is beyond burnt out, and she needs your help. Can you help us meet her fundraising goal so that she can keep fighting?
Links to posts I’ve made:
Facebook | Twitter/X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Tumblr | Threads | Mastodon | Bluesky
If you need to get something in return for your help, let's talk! I'm happy to do some free coaching sessions, sensitivity reading, communications work, consulting — whatever is within my wheelhouse that you might need.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give.
Grayson
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