Cynthia’s Journey: Finding Strength and Independence with Transitional and Housing Support

All that glitters is not gold,” Cynthia* responded when Joan*, an acquaintance, remarked on her beautiful home. Joan, sensing something deeper, quickly read between the lines.

“When someone has experienced abuse in their relationship, they pick up on it with others,” Cynthia shares. “The next time I saw Joan, she approached me discreetly and gave me Evelyn Skeete’s contact information. I told her I was apprehensive about sharing personal details only to be left hanging, with no solution. Joan immediately responded, ‘I guarantee that will not happen. Go see Ms. Skeete.’ So, I took her advice.”

Taking the First Step

It took Cynthia three months to summon the courage to call Evelyn Skeete, a Transitional Housing Support Worker, a Yorktown Family Services Violence Against Women program. “When I called Evelyn, she didn’t insist on setting an appointment. She simply said, ‘You are welcome to come right away.’ I went that day and met with her. Evelyn asked me some questions but never pried. I could tell she had extensive experience working with women who had faced similar challenges. She was knowledgeable and meant business—I knew she could help me,” recalls Cynthia.

Evelyn says, “Cynthia came to see me and asked a lot of questions during that first meeting. Afterward, I didn’t hear from her for almost a year.”

Quietly Preparing for Independence

Over the course of that year, Cynthia focused on creating a plan to leave her husband and ensure that she and her two daughters, Jewel* (9) and Beth* (6), would never have to return.

Her plan included securing a job, but this proved challenging. After 11 years of marriage, much of Cynthia’s work experience stemmed from helping manage the travel business she and her husband built together. However, she worked from home, couldn’t use her experience on her resume, and didn’t have any professional references.

“I shouldn’t have stayed with him as long as I did,” Cynthia reflects. “I excused the verbal, emotional, and sometimes physical abuse, thinking it was due to stress. But when I realized that this would become life I knew it, I couldn’t let my daughters grow up in that environment.”

A friend recommended a Personal Support Worker (PSW) training program that was only six months long and practically guaranteed a job upon completion. With no personal funds available, Cynthia applied for a credit card through their travel business to finance the course. During the six months, she managed the business calls between classes, forwarding the business line to her cell phone.

A Year of Hard Work and Determination

By the end of the year, Cynthia had completed the PSW course and secured an internship at a nearby nursing home. Every day, she picked up her daughters from school and brought them to the nursing home while she finished her shifts. As she neared graduation, Cynthia’s husband found out about her plans and this necessitated the move to temporarily stay at a friend’s home. It was at this point that Cynthia returned to Evelyn for further guidance.

“It was clear to me that Cynthia had endured one more year with her husband to ensure she could become self-sufficient,” says Evelyn. “She didn’t want to rely on external support and was determined to stand on her own two feet.”

Evelyn connected Cynthia with a skilled lawyer experienced in working with Violence Against Women (VAW) clients. The lawyer provided an initial consultation free of charge, and Cynthia paid for all subsequent legal fees herself. While she was adamant about not utilizing welfare, Cynthia did so briefly to secure a small basement apartment for her and her daughters.

Building a New Life

Ten months later, Cynthia was hired part-time by the nursing home where she completed her internship. This later became a full-time, permanent position, and within a year, she was promoted to a role in the Recreation Department—a job she had dreamed of attaining.

“I want to share my story because I want people to know about the services that Yorktown offers for people who are in need of help and don’t know where to turn,” says Cynthia. “Evelyn made me feel like I could accomplish anything. Even with my determination and all the inner strength I could muster, it wouldn’t have been enough. Evelyn’s wealth of knowledge, experience, and contacts gave me what I needed, when I needed it. My daughters would have grown up oppressed, without self-worth or self-esteem. The damage from physical abuse was one thing, but the emotional and psychological scars took much longer to heal. I couldn’t let my daughters live that way if I could do something to change it.”

A Testament to Strength and Support

“Cynthia’s determination was an incredible driving force for her,” Evelyn reflects. “It was three and a half years ago that Cynthia first came to see me, and it’s remarkable what she has managed to accomplish in that time. Things don’t happen overnight, but they don’t take forever, either.”

*Names and some details have been changed to protect the client’s privacy.

The Impact of Yorktown’s Support

Yorktown’s Transitional and Housing Support Program provided Cynthia with the tools, resources, and encouragement she needed to reclaim her life. From safety planning to trauma counselling, Evelyn’s expertise and compassion made a world of difference.

“Evelyn made me feel like I could accomplish anything,” says Cynthia. “Even with all the inner strength I could muster, it wouldn’t have been enough without her support. My daughters would have grown up oppressed, without self-worth or self-esteem. I couldn’t let that happen. Evelyn’s wealth of knowledge, experience, and contacts gave me what I needed to create a better life for us.”

The Reality of Domestic Violence in Canada

Cynthia’s story reflects the broader reality faced by countless women in Canada. According to the Canadian Women’s Foundation, approximately 44% of women in Canada experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Statistics from the National Domestic Violence Hotline reveal that, on average, a woman will attempt to leave an abusive relationship seven times before leaving for good. Programs like Yorktown’s THSP are vital for breaking this cycle, offering women and their children the chance to heal and thrive.

How You Can Help

Cynthia’s journey reminds us that with the right support, even the most challenging circumstances can lead to empowerment and independence. Yorktown Family Services relies on the generosity of donors and partners to provide free, accessible services like the Transitional and Housing Support Program.

Your support ensures that women in abusive relationships have access to:

• Safety planning and risk assessments
• Trauma-informed counselling and therapy
• Housing advocacy and referrals
• Legal, financial, and employment resources

Every contribution makes a difference. With your help, Yorktown can continue to transform lives and build brighter futures for women and children escaping violence.

Please make a donation now and help us MAKE HOME SAFE FOR EVERYONE.