Think About... Norman and Pat

What risks did you see?

For both Pat and Norman, the biggest risks are histories of previous violence in their families. They also have a "code of silence" and trust and boundary challenges. Although they were able to talk to about the abuse they didn't know how to leave it without leaving their family. Norman wanted to trust that his family would do the "right" thing but also knew what the outcome will likely include. He couldn't quite trust the "system" of support made available. For Pat, she had outside services that put pressure on her to stay out of "duty" as well as financial issues.

Another risk for both was a lack of confidence in their ability to live independently.