Director of Mosaic’s Multicultural Family Violence Program, Mirjana Omeragic
This month, we wanted to share a few words from the Director of Mosaic’s Multicultural Family Violence Program, Mirjana Omeragic. A former refugee from Croatia, Mirjana was one of Mosaic’s first domestic violence case managers.
“Growing up in a country with no laws against domestic violence or child abuse, I always wondered what it would be like to have shelters and laws protecting women from violence.
I remember on several occasions, my mother providing “shelter” for a neighbor who was constantly covered with bruises from her husband’s abuse. Her husband was never taken to the jail even when she ended up in the emergency room and hardly survived one incident.
I didn’t understand why police officers didn’t do anything when a victim called them or why people in general ignored and tolerated abuse in my country. Everyone knew that domestic violence was wrong but no one wants to be involved. It was seen as “family business” or a “private matter.”
After coming to the United States as a refugee many years later, I saw a job opening for a domestic violence case manager at Mosaic.
I knew it was my opportunity to finally help victims of abuse to live a life free of violence.
During the fifteen years Mosaic has worked with refugee and immigrant survivors of family violence, we have been proud to partner with Jan Langbein of Genesis Women’s Shelter and Paige Flink of The Family Place. They have truly been leaders in the local fight to end violence against women.
We invite you join us in honoring Jan and Paige at our 2012 Champion of Human Rights Award Luncheon for their work to end violence against women in North Texas.
Sincerely,
Mirjana Omeragic
Program Director
Multicultural Family Violence Program
|
Thank you to the generous supporters of our work with survivors of family violence Dallas Women’s Foundation |
