Mona is the mother of four children ages 7 to 18. She was referred to the SafetyNet program by the Florida Department of Children and Families after a serious domestic violence incident with her boyfriend, Jose.
Jose had been living with the family for some time, even though he and Mona no longer had a good relationship. He was unemployed and had a temper along with a drinking problem. He continually assaulted Mona and during one fight, he attacked Mona’s son with a machete.
Mona and the kids started attending the weekly SafetyNet therapeutic support groups. Here, they were able to work through their problems and start the healing process. SafetyNet was also able to help Mona get a protective order against Jose so the family could begin putting their lives back together.
Kayla, Mona’s eldest child, had previously been the “parent figure” in the home. Now that her mother was getting help, Kayla was able to focus on her education. She won scholarships from the Domestic Violence Council of Palm Beach County and the “Leaders for Life Fellowship,” which awarded her four years of tuition ($40,000) to Florida Atlantic University.
