Mary was 22 years old, 6 months pregnant, and had a 2-year-old son. Her husband had been keeping her isolated in their apartment for 3 years. He would not let her drive, have a cell phone, or go to prenatal checkups. He even controlled what –and if – she ate.

With her mother’s help, Mary and her son were finally able to escape. Her husband was furious, but Mary wasn’t going back. She called Legal Aid Society of Salt Lake (LAS) for help. The divorce that followed lasted almost two years and was peppered with incidents of threatening behavior on the part of Mary’s husband. Mary’s legal aid attorney represented her through the whole ordeal, and in the end secured her divorce and full custody of her children. Since then, Mary has earned a paraprofessional degree. Mary now works at a firm in Salt Lake and has an apartment where she and her two children are safe and secure.

You can make a difference for families like Mary and her children by making a donation today.

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