Two hands gently hold a glowing heart in the foreground, set against a background of a luminous sphere and radiating light with the text "JDVS" below.

Today is my birthday.It’s the hardest day of the year. Survivors of domestic violence find birthdays exhausting. Because abusers use what should be the most celebrated day of the year, and turn it into a day of abuse, coercive control, and mistreatment. This is what gives them the power they desperately need and crave. So instead of joyous memories- birthdays bring up trauma, pain, and the debilitating feeling of victimization. Last year my birthday was spent alone, in bed, with me desperately trying to get through those 24 birthday hours alive. The memories and PTSD were so excruciating, I fell physically ill and it took weeks to recover.  This year, I decided to be proactive. I’m choosing to turn my trauma into opportunity. I’m taking my pain and turning it into power.  JDVS (Jewish Domestic Violence Survivors) is an organization that I started last year, to help women like me. Women who have been through DV, IPV, and deserve to have all the support needed to get through it.  While at JDVS we have many programs and are continuing to grow, one of my proudest accomplishments is our support groups, where Jewish women gather for the most basic support. These groups provide a safe confidential space to share experiences, build coping strategies, and reduce isolation through creative expression and peer connection. Check out our website <a href="https://jdvs.ca/support-groups" target="_blank">https://jdvs.ca/support-groups</a> for information on the groups. Money from this campaign will go directly to pay our facilitators, in addition to partially reimbursing members for babysitter/travel fees spent to attend the groups

JDVS

JDVS.ca

Choose an amount:

$