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Domestic violence does not respect social economic status. It can be found anywhere and everywhere, from the home of the wealthiest to the most religious family in the Tampa Bay area. Victims of domestic violence live in fear, thinking there are no other alternatives other than to remain with their abuser.

Each year there are between 6,000 and 7,000 police reports of domestic violence. According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, there were 7,824 reported domestic violence offenses in 2008 within Hillsborough County.

Malynna Clarke, a former domestic violence victim, used to live with an abusive husband until she was kicked out of her house, along with her four children. She was forced onto the streets with no one to go to for help.

“I had to go to the police because I had nothing for my kids and myself,” Clarke said. “At the police station, they gave me a brochure referencing me to the Family Justice Center.”

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At The Family Justice Center, Clarke was handed a brochure to the Bay Area Legal Services (BALS), a regional, non-profit public interest law firm that provides legal counsel to low-income individuals and families.

Clarke had no form of transportation except the bus. Since the nearest bus stop was five miles away and her 6-year-old son has three congenital heart defects, it was difficult for her to get to BALS to sign her legal paper work.

“Bay Area Legal would drive out 39 miles to where I was at and bring a notary with them just so I could sign all of the papers,” Clarke said.

In 1995, BALS joined forces with the University of South Florida, The Spring of Tampa Bay, and The Child Protection Team of Tampa General Hospital to create a program called ChildNet.

ChildNet, initiated by Lupe Mitcham, provides a network of services which includes child care, transportation, counseling, housing assistance, health care, education and affordable housing to low income victims of domestic violence.

“ChildNet helped my children get the services they needed,” Clarke said. “It’s been wonderful, and wonderful is not even a big enough word for it.”

Mitcham, a social worker and victim advocate, runs the ChildNet program in Plant City. Mitcham does case management work, and worked on Clarke’s case.

“When I first start a case, safety is always first,” Mitcham said, “and that means putting a victim in a shelter if necessary.”

Clarke and her children found temporary housing with the Spring of Tampa Bay, a nationally recognized domestic violence shelter where clients can receive services such as support groups, employment services and transitional housing.

When Mitcham began helping Clarke, she called in some contacts and got  a more stable living arrangement for Clarke and her children in an apartment with affordable rent.

“The landlord is a personal friend of Lupe’s,” Clarke said. “He knocked $200 off the deposit as long as I would clean the house instead of him before moving in. People just don’t do that, especially landlords. He also let me move in early because I had no place to go.”

Mitcham does not stop with providing the immediate needs of her clients, she also helps them plan out their future. “After the victim is secure, I start working with them on attainable goals,” Mitcham said.

Mitcham helped Clarke prioritize her needs by having Clarke write out a list of the things she needed, such as transportation, employment and education for her children.

“I have accomplished a lot of my goals very fast,” Clarke said. “The only one I still haven’t accomplished is the custody battle, but it is very close to ending.”

Successful cases, such as Clarke’s, is what brings the most satisfaction to Mitcham when she goes to work.

“I want my clients to obtain their personal goals and be valued,” Mitcham said. “I want the cycle (of domestic violence) to be broken from their lives so that their children won’t have to live in it.”

During the summer, Mitcham gets the most crisis calls because it’s the time when children are spending more time at home with their abuser.

“Another time is during the holiday,” Mitcham said.  “People are at home, they have no money, and it’s the time of the year when people make decisions. They say, ‘I’m leaving,’ and ‘I can’t take this anymore.’”

Apart from doing case management and taking crisis calls, Mitcham faces another difficulty: resources.  Because of the limited amount of funds that social services provides, Mitcham must think outside of the box. Over the years she has had furniture and nine automobiles donated through private individuals.

I try to help my clients with tangible items, such as diapers which are donated by Wal-Mart,” Mitcham said.  “I also build relationships with nearby churches and they donate a lot of items to these victims.”

Vickie McInnnis, a certified appraiser and estate sales representative, has donated furniture, cars, clothing, dishes, linens, appliances and other miscellaneous items to Mitcham at least once every month. “Whenever I see a need, I try to get the approval of the family (of a recent estate sale) and donate any of their left over items to people who really need it,” McInnis said. McInnis helped Clarke by donating a set of dishes.

“From the life that I had, it was hard to trust people,” Clarke said. “I was surprised at all the respect, kindness and gentleness that people were giving me.”

Mitcham did the best she could to help Clarke financially. She organized yard sales, got a person to donate a car, and even found an apartment with a landlord who would accommodate Clarke and her four children. “She has connections,” Clarke said. “Even though the program runs on very little money, she’s always thinking outside of the box.”

Today, Clarke is far from her abuser, living with her children, working a job and about to start school in the fall. “I am happy now,” Clarke said. “I feel safe, and I’ve never felt that before.”

In the future, Clarke wants to help other women who find themselves in the same situation. “I want to help them,” Clarke said, “even if it is just talking to them, helping them move or even cleaning a new home. I want to give, just like so many people have given to me.”