JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More than 1,000 people turned out Saturday for the annual Hubbard House walk against domestic violence.
It was the 15th year the organization held its “Stand Up and Stride” walk to raise money for survivors and their children.
“(Survivors) feel so encouraged by the show of support of people coming out. We are so fortunate to have a community that really cares about survivors and comes out year after year to support them and to support Hubbard House,” Hubbard House CEO Dr. Gail Patin said. “You feel that. You can feel that in this crowd.”
One survivor, Melissa, told News4JAX she’s now walking in freedom and hopes to empower others.
“I was in this place of fear, no hope and sadness all of the time internally. Now, I have been delivered into this place of no fear, joy, and happiness,” Melissa said. “I want women and men or whoever is currently in the situation to know that you can have hope. You can get out and be successful and have a great life.”
Melissa said she suffered 15 years of physical, mental and emotional abuse from her now ex-husband.
“He would hold me down so that I could not move. One time I was laying in the bed asleep, and he took his feet full force, and kicked me in the spine until I was off the bed. He has head butted me, hit me in the head while he was holding me down, so that nobody could see it. I had broken bones,” Melissa recalled.
“He threw the soup bowl and the hot soup on my leg. It tore up my thigh muscle and burned my leg,” she continued. “He told me that nobody would want me because I was unattractive. Nobody would want me because I could not have biological children.”
Melissa said she went to the Hubbard House once in 1999 and then went back to her abuser thinking she could fix everything, only to suffer more abuse.
But two years later, she went back to the Hubbard House for help and never looked back. It was there, she said, that she found her voice.
“People will believe me. They will help me,” Melissa said, explaining her new mindset.
That’s also the message Hubbard House tries to convey to anyone experiencing abuse.
The organization is trying to raise $100,000 this year during its walk so it can provide free services like an emergency shelter, counseling for survivors and their children and housing support.
MORE: To donate to Hubbard House, click here and then choose the Donate button
Longtime volunteer Paul Bryce said these resources make a real difference.
“Once I got involved, I found out that children and men are impacted,” Bryce said. “So many people are touched by this. There are people in my own family that I found out had been touched by this and I did not even know about it. If I can, in some small way, help to get people out of that situation and empower them to live their best lives, that is what I want to do.”
As for Melissa, she told us that she is not only surviving -- but thriving
She has since remarried and has been married for 20 years now and has a beautiful family.
She said it was her faith that really got her through.
“God got me through in all honesty. I think that it is just having someone believe in me,” Melissa said.
And she emphasized that the Hubbard House will believe you, too.
If you or anyone you know is a victim of domestic violence – you can call the 24-7 hotline for Hubbard House at 904-354-3114 or text 904-210-3698.
Other resources
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233
County-by-county help
Northeast Florida
Duval and Baker counties: Domestic Violence Services, Shelter, and Safety - Hubbard House
Clay County: Quigley House
St. Johns County: Betty Griffin Center – St. Johns County Support Services for Victims of Sexual & Domestic Abuse
Nassau County: Micah’s Place
Putnam County: Domestic violence center in Palatka (leeconleehouse.org)
Alachua, Bradford, Union counties: Peaceful Paths | Domestic Violence Agency | Gainesville
Southeast Georgia
Camden and Charlton counties: Camden House
Ware County: Magnolia House
Glynn County: Glynn Community Crisis Center