Mira is a middle-aged mono-lingual Vietnamese client who came to us having experienced multiple victimizations from her husband, Ngoc (fictious names). Throughout their relationship, Ngoc had been physically, verbally, technologically, sexually, and financially abusive. He controlled Mira’s actions, whom she spoke with, and how she parented their young children. Mira described feeling like “his sex slave.” When Mira started working, Ngoc would demand photos throughout her shift or call her incessantly, making it difficult for her to keep a job. One day, Ngoc became enraged and kicked Mira out of the home, leaving her with nothing and separating her from the children.
Mira then came to Community Legal Aid SoCal (CLA SoCal) desperate to know her legal options. After counseling her on her legal rights and avenues, Mira expressed that she wanted to file a restraining order. We in CLA SoCal’s Family Law Unit immediately began assisting Mira with drafting her request and connected her to case management services and Human Options (a local domestic violence agency) for additional assistance. When Mira’s Temporary Restraining Order was granted, she was finally reunited with her daughters and the three of them finally got a restful night’s sleep in a safe place thanks to our partner Human Options.
After representing Mira at her contested restraining order hearing, we were ultimately successful in obtaining a five-year restraining order, orders for Mira to have sole custody, and orders for Ngoc to relinquish his firearms and enroll in a Batterer’s Intervention Program. We are now continuing to assist this client through the divorce process and are honored to have played a role in helping Mira enter this next chapter of her life.
