Valerie was a newlywed and a new mother when her husband began to show signs of violence. She didn't want to seek help at first, even after a stranger — who saw the signs of domestic violence — pulled her aside at a wedding reception to address her concerns. It took her months to finally get enough courage to leave the abusive relationship and seek help at a shelter.
At the shelter, Valerie's counselor delivered the sobering reality.
"She told me that if I stayed, my next step was death," Valerie said.
Wearing little more than the clothes on her back, she and her daughter relied on donated items to get back on her feet. Bras are the most needed, yet least donated, clothing item for women. One in every four women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. While donating a bra may not seem like much, it actually means the world to these women in shelters, trying to look for hope and support.
Today, Valerie and her daughter are safe. But she clearly remembers the moment she received her first donated bra. Hear her story, and the story of another survivor named Jenny, and the impact those donated bras had on their lives.
Want to help a woman in need by donating your bras to Soma? Click here to find out more.
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