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.
Elijah Sainvil, 22, was arrested Tuesday on the assault and kidnapping allegations.
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."
Verwys said domestic abuse is far more widespread than many people realize.
"We know statistically, that one in three women have experienced abuse in our community, across the nation, and one in seven men. So, this is not an isolated issue," Verwys said.
She described abuse as rooted in a pattern of control.
"The complexity of abuse is this intersection rate of a pattern of a misuse of control and power," Verwys said.
Verwys emphasized that every survivor deserves support and has a path forward.
"When we think about supporting survivors, it's recognizing that every person has been created with dignity and is greater than anything that's ever happened to them. So when we think about victims, it is really identifying what has happened to someone in the sense of being abused or exploited or harmed," Verwys said.
She also wants survivors to know that help is available and that communities can hold abusers accountable.
"When we work with survivors, we want them to feel empowered to know that there is a way out, that they can be supported, that there are resources, and that our community would hold accountability for those who do harm," Verwys said.
If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse in any form, you can reach out to Safe Haven Ministries at their 24/7 hot line: 616-452-6664, as well as text and online chat options.
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