Safe+Sound Somerset Must Be Protected: A Survivor’s Story

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — Three years ago, I was at one of the lowest points in my life.

I was terrified, emotionally exhausted, and unsure of what tomorrow would bring. I had spent years off and on in abusive relationships — isolated, unheard, and hiding my pain behind a strong face for my children. The weight of fear was constant, the silence unbearable. And then, like a lifeline thrown to someone drowning, I found Safe+Sound Somerset.

I’m writing today because the recent news about massive federal cuts to Safe+Sound’s funding shocked me deeply. A $1.2 million loss isn’t just a number — it’s someone’s hope, someone’s escape plan, someone’s chance to feel safe for the first time in years.

That someone was me.

Safe+Sound didn’t just offer me services. They offered me dignity. A safe place to turn when I felt like I had none. Advocates who didn’t look at me with pity — but with purpose, empathy and understanding. Legal support when I had no idea how to protect myself or my child. Counseling that helped me slowly rebuild my sense of worth after years of being torn down mentally, verbally, emotionally, financially and at times physically.

They helped me find my voice again, and heal decades of trauma.

The thought that other survivors might now be turned away, or left without the same critical support I received, is heartbreaking. Survivors aren’t statistics. We are your neighbors, your coworkers, your classmates, fellow moms & dads in the school drop-off line. We are human beings who, in our darkest hour, just need someone to say, "We’re here. You’re not alone. We see you and we got you."

Safe+Sound Somerset showed up for me when the rest of the world felt silent. And today, I’m standing up for them.

If we allow this organization to suffer — if we allow these cuts to erase the safety net they so bravely and compassionately provide, then we are telling survivors their lives don’t matter. That their safety is optional. That their future isn’t worth fighting for, and that is simply not okay. This community that I have grown to love and appreciate so very much over the years, is much better than this.

This is a call to action, not just for donors, but for anyone who has ever believed in justice, safety, second or third chances. We need your voice, your support, your contribution to make sure Safe+Sound Somerset can continue its mission. To ensure they can keep answering hotline calls at 2 a.m., helping survivors navigate the court system, providing shelter, therapy, and hope.

I am living proof that these services save lives. And I know there are thousands more like me who are still waiting for someone to reach out a hand.

Please, don’t let that hand disappear.

Because if that hand disappears, a domestic violence victim will lose hope. A mother will stay one more night with her abuser, fearing for her child’s safety. A teenager being groomed by someone they trust will have no one to turn to. A survivor ready to take the first courageous step toward freedom will find a locked door instead of a lifeline.

If we defund these services, we don’t just cut budgets, we cut off safety, dignity, and the possibility of healing and an opportunity of another chance to live a healthy, abundant, prosperous happy life. We send a dangerous message: survival is conditional, that safety is a privilege, not a right.

Safe & Sound Somerset cannot be one more thing that disappears from the lives of people already losing everything. We must protect this organization as fiercely as it protects us.

So, I ask you, from one survivor, one mother, one community member to another — stand with Safe & Sound Somerset. Donate if you can. Share their mission. Rally your networks and get involved. Be the hand that reaches out.

Because one day, someone you love might need that hand too. Or that someone could be you.

Warmly & with everlasting deep gratitude for the support that helped me reclaim my life,
confidence and dignity,

Warmly,
Jessica Fernandez

• Related: Domestic, Sexual Violence Survivors At Risk In Somerset County After Federal Cuts

For more information or to donate, visit safe-sound.org or facebook.com/safesoundsomerset.