Mirian Sanches thought she had no way out of her abusive 18-year marriage until a close friend recognized her situation and referred her to The Spring of Tampa Bay, where she learned about her options. Mirian knew she needed a divorce to protect herself and her two children from being subjected to the abuse.
That is when she was put in touch with Bay Area Legal Services and met attorney, Nancey Penner, who took her case. Nancey connected Mirian with a safe network of available resources, such as the Women’s Center, where Mirian began taking career development classes.
“Mrs. Penner gave me hope for a better future,” said Mirian. “I regained confidence in myself and took steps to educate myself on opening a business.”
Nancey then advocated for Mirian to be granted protections from her abuser and filed for her divorce. This advocacy would set Mirian on a path of independence.
Today, Mirian owns her own business and often shares her story with others to ensure that justice works for other domestic violence survivors and underserved people.
If I run into another woman in the situation I was in, I’ll tell her things can change for the better because there are organizations out there like Bay Area Legal Services.