NEWS

Within Reach Campaign | March 3, 2018

Giving a Voice to Melissa

An Interview with WCA Champion,
Angie Rodriguez

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Angie is a mother and grandmother; four years ago, she lost her
19-year-old daughter, Melissa, to domestic violence.
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WHY DO YOU CARE ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SO MUCH?
I didn’t know much about domestic violence until it became a part of my life. It wasn’t talked about in my circles; it was kind of hush-hush. But then four years ago I lost my daughter, Melissa, to domestic violence when she was 19 years old. She died at the hands of her ex-boyfriend.

I want Melissa to be honored. Her life was taken, but I hope that by being her voice and sharing her story, another life could be saved. And another family would not endure a loss like we have.

 

WHAT DO YOU WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD KNOW
ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE?
That domestic violence can happen to anyone—it doesn’t matter what your financial status, your gender, your race is—it will take anyone. And that it’s not the victim’s fault. Blame is never the thing to do in situations of domestic violence.

 

WHAT CAN WE DO IN OUR COMMUNITY TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON THIS?
The biggest thing is education. We have get it out from behind closed doors. The more we talk about domestic violence, the more we can help those at risk and those who’ve experienced it. I want to focus on educating teens in high schools, because my daughter’s abuse started happening when she was in high school. I would like to talk in high schools and share her story.

 

WHAT SHOULD WE BE LEARNING? WHAT SHOULD
WE BE TEACHING TEENS?
How to spot signs of abuse with their friends and what to do if they know someone who is in an abusive relationship. To take this even a step further by educating parents to spot these signs and what they can do. I didn’t know these signs until it was too late. Had I known how to pick up on some of the signals, things might have turned out differently.

 

HOW DO YOU SEE THE WCA’S NEW LOCATION IMPACTING THOSE WHO RECEIVE SERVICES FROM THEM?
It’s going to have a safer, more inviting, and more comforting design, so that those coming for help will be able to have a sense of security and feel welcome. People are coming to the WCA at the lowest point in their life, they need to feel safe and secure. The new location will give them this.

 

IF YOU WERE TO CHOOSE A PERSON TO HONOR THROUGH YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS CAMPAIGN, WHO WOULD IT BE AND WHY?
I would choose to honor my daughter, Melissa. She always wanted to help people and always talked about what she wanted to do. She was studying criminal law and wanted to be a lawyer and help the underprivileged. At her young age, who really knows what they will end up doing but I do know that she would have done something to help because that was just her nature. I want to honor her by being a voice in helping others.

 

WHEN WE SAY THE WCA IS WITHIN REACH,
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU?
That it’s accessible, the doors are open to anyone who needs help. We need more people in the community to know that, so more people can access services. We didn’t find out about the WCA until later in the process with my daughter. When we did, we started making calls. I want more people to know they can get free professional help with their worries and their questions, hopefully before things get really bad.