KENTWOOD, Mich. — The arrest of a Kentwood man accused of brutally assaulting and kidnapping a woman back on June 13th is shining a light on the realities of domestic violence — and the resources available to survivors. According to court records, the alleged abuse did not begin with the June 13 incident. A prior assault occurred on May 22, and the woman “felt stuck and remained at Sainvil’s apartment for the next two days before leaving. She did not report the incident until June 12.”
Rachel VerWys, CEO of Safe Haven Ministries, a domestic violence and human trafficking resource center, said that kind of experience is not uncommon.
“That dynamic of feeling trapped or hopeless or shameful is very normal,” VerWys said. “When they take a step forward towards safety, which often they have been told will increase harm, they’ve been threatened, they’ve been coerced, they’ve been manipulated to think that they don’t have a choice.”