BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Women in Distress, a non-profit organization based in Broward County, is hosting a dance competition as a way to advocate for domestic violence victims like “Cher Cher” who suffered for over two decades in secret.
She said the abuse escalated over the years and continued even when she became a mother and had three children, and when she found the courage to seek help, the nonprofit organization was ready to save her life.
“October 2020, he came to me with a box cutter and told me that he was going to slit my throat,” she said. “On February 3rd, he held me with a knife at my throat telling me that he was going to kill me.”
After years of terror, she started to fear that she could end up dead after one of the attacks and she thought about her children — and about her youngest son who still needed her.
“What would it really be like if he should come downstairs and see his mom just gone,” she said.
After a scary attack, she finally called 911 and ended up at a Women in Distress shelter, where she also received counseling, legal assistance, and help with searching for a job. Christine Goldman, of Women in Distress, is devoted to this mission. She said the demand has skyrocketed over 20% in the last year.
“We are open to anyone fleeing intimate violence by a partner,” Goldman said adding the shelter provided more than 45,000 nights of safety for victims in the past year.
To keep up with the demand, Women in Distress, which runs on grants and donations, called on talented pro-ballroom dancers to host Dancing with the Local Stars, a show at 7 p.m., on Saturday, at the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center to benefit the organization.
For more information about how to buy tickets for the show, visit this page. For more information about how to make a donation to the nonprofit organization, visit this page.
Esther Frances, a professional dancer, partnered with Local 10 News Reporter Christian De La Rosa, who volunteered to perform in the show.