I am a victim — and a survivor. Seeking protection should never come with shame. Yet filing for a Domestic Violence Civil Protection Order this year in Delaware and Franklin Counties has exposed a painful reality: a system designed to protect survivors can leave us feeling lost, unheard, and alone.
When I came forward, I expected safety, validation, and support. Instead, as a single, working mother of two, I have struggled to afford legal representation and navigate an overwhelming legal process, including interactions with the Franklin and Delaware County Sheriff’s Offices, the Delaware Court of Common Pleas, and Turning Point, the local Domestic Violence Shelter.
At the same time, I have watched my home, my community, and my children’s sense of stability unravel. I have repeatedly been asked to explain and defend my actions, while the person from whom I sought protection has, to date, been required to explain nothing.
Survivors are told: Come forward. Speak up. Ask for help. We are promised resources, protection, and support when we find the courage to do so. But that promise means little if survivors are left to carry the financial, emotional, and practical burden alone.
We say, “Me too.” I came forward believing those words. So why, when I asked for help, did it feel like…
“Just me”?
Rose Garey
Westerville, Delaware County
