2 years ago
A Georgia woman who turned away from an abusive relationship that lasted years says she's thankful. She received help from a statewide organization. The program is made up of plastic surgeons and counselors who help with both physical and emotional scars.
"It came to the point where I felt like either he was gonna kill me or I was gonna hurt him," said Sherri, who doesn't want to use her last name.
She says for eight years she endured both physical and mental abuse from her husband. It was one fight too many that eventually landed her in Dr. William Silver's office. To this day, it is still difficult for her to talk about.
"These are tears of joy, I really want you to know. It's not sadness at all.
I received the scar from my exhusband. He bit me on my nose. It was just one of his controlling rages."
But a program called Face to Face helped . The program began on an international level as a collaboration of physicians from all over the United States. Included was Dr. William Silver of Premier Image Cosmetic Surgery in Atlanta . Face to Face helped people in other countries who were in dire need of services to correct birth defects, deformities or disfigurement from traumatic injuries. Because of the success of Face to Face internationally, Sliver wanted to have a similar program closer to home. A collaboration of the Partnership Against Domestic Violence (PADV) and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) was formed to develop a Face to Face program in Georgia. It helped turn Sherri's life around.
"My nose was actually broken, I didn't know. I never received any medical attention for it. Dr Silver replaced my nose." Sherri says her ex-husband was not convicted for this abuse incident because she never pressed charges. But eventually she found the courage to leave for good.
Plastic surgeons and cosmetic dentists team up to offer free services to victims of domestic violence. "We started the program that we not only deal with just the physical injures you can see but to restore to the patients great self confidence," said Dr. Silver.
"To be able to restore womens' faces and their lives, the whole place that they want to be is truly a privilege and a wonderful experience for us to be a part of," said Cathy Willis-Spraetz of Partnership Against Domestic Violence. The group helps screen victims to make sure they meet certain guidlines. "We have doctors and dentisits standing in the wings, waiting to be asked to provide the service. So we can definately serve many, many more women," said Willis-Spraetz.
It's the kind of program domestic violence counselor Julie Steel says could change the lives of many women in Central Georgia.
"We have a handful throughout every year that come in that really do need the services of a plasstic surgeon or some dental reconstruction work because the abuse has been so horrible. We see women who are routinely beat with belts, sticks, yard sticks, all kinds of things."
It is a life Sherri knows all about, but is thankful it's also one she's longer a part of.
Sherri says she'll go through several more sessions before her scar is completely removed. The subject in our story is a woman who only wanted to be identified as Sherri. We were unable to independently confirm the circumstances of Sherri's facial injuries, which she said were the result of domestic violence. The Partnership Against Domestic Violence screens candidates, including Sherri for the Face to Face program, and the organization was satisfied with Sherri's account that she was the victim of domestic violence.
You can contact the Crisis Line of Middle Georgia at 478-745-9292 if you or someone you know needs help getting out of an abusive relationship.
You can also call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-33-HAVEN.
For more information about the Face to Face program, contact Partnership Against Domestic Violence at 404.873.1766. or visit www.padv.org
