Giving Survivors of Domestic Violence a Chance

"Ms. Wang" and her husband were married in China in 2005 and have one child together. From the beginning of the relationship, her husband was abusive towards her. Ms. Wang did not speak English and they lived in a very isolated community in Indiana. In early 2009, after an argument, her husband threatened to kill her with the guns he owned. Ms. Wang sought the help of the local police and fled from her home.

Because of the language barrier, she was not able to get services in Indiana. Ms. Wang was also afraid for her safety because her husband continued to track her down. She fled to Boston with her child to seek help at the Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK).

Ms. Wang then contacted AOU for help with her legal issues. We were able to assist her in filing for a U Nonimmigrant Visa based on her cooperation with the local police in Indiana. As a victim of violent crime, her U Visa was approved. Ms. Wang is now able to work legally and is on a path to legal permanent resident ("green card") status. We also helped her obtain a 209A abuse prevention order against her husband to keep her and her child safe. "I feel that AOU helped me and my family a lot," Ms. Wang said, "I used to worry a lot about my immigration status and my husband hurting me and my family. I no longer need to worry about that."