Abusive relationships are devastating.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 women (and 1 in 7 men) will experience physical violence or spousal abuse by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. This abuse can come in many forms – verbal, emotional, economic, religious, or sexual – but regardless of the individual features, domestic abuse dismantles the confidence of its victims, ripping apart their self-esteem.

Fortunately, many victims do eventually leave.

However, once they find the confidence to escape their abuser, they’re often faced with hardships in other forms. Take the story of this Old East Dallas woman, for instance.

The mother of six children (all under 11) had recently fled an abusive relationship. However, this was a new start in every sense of the words. The woman was left with little other than the clothes on her back. So far, she had overcome all of her battles: she had fled her abuser safely and had transitioned into an apartment of her own. But even after a few months of living there, the place remained empty. Money can be tight for a single mom – and any spare coins were budgeted for their livelihood and survival, leaving nothing to buy the furnishings that would make their space feel like a home.

But that’s where two big-hearted, local officers stepped in.

While responding to a call at the Old East Dallas apartment complex, Officers Reneeshia McIntyre and Delia Pesina ran into a charismatic toddler outside. The chatty two-year-0ld waved the officers over to where she and her mother were sitting and the group began to talk.

The officers learned that the mother had recently fled an abusive relationship, and they asked how long the family had been living in the complex. “My first instinct with it was that they had just moved in because there was literally nothing in the apartment,” one of the officers recalled. “She was washing styrofoam plates.”

Upon seeing the struggling family in the empty apartment, the officers felt compelled to help. “We kind of read each other’s minds,” they told CBS News.

“When we were leaving, I immediately said to her, ‘We’re coming back, aren’t we?'”

Following the encounter, the two officers went shopping, using their own money to buy the young family everything that they would need.

They purchased beds, cribs, mattresses, sheets, pillows, furniture, and organizers. They also spent $250 on snacks and food for the kids.

“When we told the children ‘This is where you’re going to be sleeping,’ the excitement was so heartfelt. We were touched. We had to hold back tears.”

Thanks to the two officers, this family is now ready to start a life of their own – but the two devoted public servants don’t want any praise. “It’s part of my job description,” one of them told CBS News. “It’s part of my heart.”

As mentioned, most victims of domestic abuse will eventually leave. However, this can often take multiple attempts and it’s best to have a safety plan in place. According to the Institute of Family Studies, there are four main factors that incite domestic abuse victims to leave:

1. Acknowledging the reality of the abuse
2. Accepting support from outside sources (family, spiritual, professional)
3. The desire to protect children and break the cycle of abuse
4. Reaching the tipping point when living in fear and exhaustion becomes overwhelming

If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship and needs help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline’s 24/7 line at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE).

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Sources: CBS News, Institute for Family Studies,