By Fr. Theophan Mackey
Rector
Saint Job of Pochaiv Orthodox Church
When I sit down at the pottery wheel, I always have the best of intentions. Whether I have a specific form in mind, or want to make a special gift for someone, or just want to clear my mind from pressing issues that threaten my sanity.
We all, when we start something new, have the best of intentions. We hope, or at least have the general sense, that things will turn out well. We wouldn’t really start them otherwise. I still believe that very few people actually try to do bad things consciously from the start.
But things can and do go sideways, and sometimes very badly. In the pottery shop, things never get that bad. The worst is over firing or firing a load of ware too quickly, and we lose a whole lot of pottery… there’s no real recovery but clean up and starting the work over.
In life things can go very much worse.
Consider, nearly a quarter of women in the US experience physical violence from an intimate partner, a husband, boyfriend, or date. In New Mexico, it’s even more common than that. These statistics are not mere numbers; they are our friends, our neighbors, our families.
These intimate partnerships all started with caring and love, one would hope, or at least mutual attraction and infatuation. But somewhere along the line, things went wrong.
The mound of clay on the wheel is full of potential. The hope of something beautiful, useful, and creative. But it doesn’t always work out.
Neither does it for those enduring domestic violence, where the facade of normalcy and the best of intentions can cloak violence, danger, and chaos.
Victims live in fear, not only of their abusers, but also of societal judgment, financial insecurity, and uncertainty for their future and the future of their children.
In our community, the absence of a dedicated shelter means that many women have nowhere locally to turn when seeking safety. The Los Alamos Victim’s Advocate must find temporary housing for individuals in crisis, weekly, which highlights the urgent need for a dedicated space, a secure place where healing can begin.
What is stopping us from offering our support? What obstacles keep us from advocating for those who need our help?
Does domestic violence not happen here? Is that what we believe?
That is objectively wrong.
The emotional toll of domestic violence can strip away a person’s dignity, leaving them feeling isolated and unheard. Emotional, psychological, and financial abuse can continue long after a victim leaves the physically abusive space.
In the coming weeks, I encourage you to think about how you can contribute to this cause. Whether it’s volunteering, spreading the word, or donating to local initiatives, every little bit helps.
Silence does not help. Denial does not help. Apathy does not help.
Together, we can create a safe haven that allows women to survive the violence, reclaim their lives, and flourish.
To lend your name to the cause, please email: macrinashouse@gmail.com.