BEAUMONT, Texas — October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and there are resources available for Southeast Texans who may need them.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month was launched nationwide in 1987 as a way to connect individuals experiencing domestic abuse with resources.
The Texas Council on Family Violence estimates one in three Texans will be a victim of domestic violence in their lifetime.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, 72% of victims are women.
Family Services of Southeast Texas has a strong advocacy group for survivors.
Margarita was a victim of domestic violence.
"Its such a dark place because you have, you feel like you have no one you can trust," she said.
For 7 years, Margarita was stuck in an abusive relationship.
"I realized that even being perfect wasn't enough, I started to realize that I couldn't do this, and it was impossible to be perfect and that was basically the last straw," she said.
She had had enough. After sitting down with a lawyer, Margarita was put in touch with Family Services of Southeast Texas.
"I no longer really call them victims, they are survivors," said Penny Pennison, director of legal advocacy at Family Services of Southeast Texas.
Pennison supports victims through divorce, child custody cases or protective orders.
"They're abused, and they're laying there and they have nowhere to turn or maybe nowhere to go and they're like 'what am I going to do, I cant go home,' Pennison said. "They have black eyes and they're beat up, to be able to say you know what I have a place for you today."
All of their services are free.
For Pennison, it's personal. She's 28 years removed from her own domestic violence situation.
"I know the frustrations I felt, and there were no services 28 years ago, there were not laws that we have now 28 years ago," she said.
She and Family Services of Southeast Texas have helped countless victims through their worst times.
"She just kind of gave me my humanity back, cause I felt like less than a person at that time," Margarita said.
Margarita wants victims to know they aren't alone.
"They give you this new hope that you don't have to be afraid, you don't have to listen to those lies anymore, there's nothing that person can do to get in the way anymore," she said.
Family Services of Southeast Texas offers so much more than just legal advocacy. They also offer counseling, they help victims get jobs or go to school and they even offer safe house protection and shelter service.
Family Services of Southeast Texas 24/7 crisis hotline number is 409-832-7575.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
Crisis Text Line: Text START to 88788.