HARLINGEN — The woman had a black eye.
It was clearly visible on her face and no concealer in the world could hide it.
He had used his closed fist this time.
Standing with her were two children who looked scared and confused. One of the children cowered behind his mother.
They looked exhausted.
Early one morning, the three of them showed up at the Family Crisis Center for help.
They would not be turned away.
How could anyone turn away a woman who had been beaten within an inch of her life? To make matters worse, the children had seen it all.
What did they think? What did they know?
“Daddy hit mommy in the face,” is all they’ve known for the past year.
Did he hit the children, too?
So far, they only know that they have walked into a shelter.
Sometimes it takes longer for women to seek help. Some don’t seek help at all. Some are too scared and ashamed.
But the Family Crisis Center is a safe haven for women, children and men who are suffering from abuse.
Families like this one.
Starting from then on, they attempt to rebuild their lives, get back on their feet and no longer be victims of abuse.
The center is where abuse victims start their journey, taking back their power.
Laura Martinez strives to empower her clients — empower them to stand up and fight.
As the executive director of the Family Crisis Center, Martinez aims to give back the power that has been stripped from her clients by the hands of their abusers.
To do that, the center needs monetary support.
The Family Crisis Center is one of 20 nonprofit agencies in the Rio Grande Valley that will benefit from the ongoing 2016-17 AIM Charities Fund Drive.
AIM Charities was founded three years ago by AIM Media Texas, which owns the Valley Morning Star, The Brownsville Herald, El Nuevo Heraldo, El Extra, The Monitor, Mid-Valley Town Crier and Coastal Current.
The proceeds will go toward the services the center provides to clients on a daily basis.
Established in 1981 by volunteers, the Family Crisis Center provides services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Martinez and her staff provide free and confidential services to victims of family violence, and adult and child victims of stranger and non-stranger sexual assault in northern Cameron County and all of Willacy County.
Their services include a 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter for victims and their children, crisis intervention, advocacy, hospital accompaniment, transportation, counseling, legal advocacy, law enforcement assistance, protective orders, court accompaniment and other educational programs.
All services are available by appointment or a walk-in basis, Martinez said.
Sadly, the number of abuse victims has gone up.
Martinez said about 153 women, children and men sought center help in 2016.
About 20 to 25 women, children and men are currently being housed at the emergency shelter.
There could numerous reasons as to why the number of abused has gone up. Martinez said it’s a symptom of the cycle of abuse that continues in our area.
It’s a learned behavior, Martinez said.
Unfortunately, that learned behavior, Martinez said, carries over to the next generation.
Children see their mothers and fathers being abused and they grow up thinking its normal and it’s OK, Martinez said.
