we'll be right back >> raphael: welcome us is amanda ruth. thank you both for joining me. very pleased you are here. interested to hear your stories, amanda, tell us your story? >> reason i got into the field of victim advocacy is because of my experience, i went from physically abusive. saw the signs and didn't know what to do. it was a hard process to admit. very isolating, shaming. i didn't want to tell my family or friends. i had cut myself off at my abuser's request. >> raphael: that is tragic. sorry to hear that. pandora, tell me about your story? >> i am a survivor from my family. my mother was an abused woman. my father was a good man to me, but to the rest of my family he was hard. watching him abias my mother gave me trust issues. i am not going to trust you, i am going to go left which sometimes can lead to effects of basically over a period of time, things would spiral out of control. before you know it you are saying what happened? you are trying to figure it out. it took me a long time too figure out how much of an impact that had on my life. today i am glad f

ruth. they gave me an opportunity to find me and ask questions why you do this? >> raphael: interested in that, amanda. at what point did you realize you needed help? >> i don't think i reached out i had been in the hospital so many times i had been arrested because i was afraid to testify against my abuser. i had been beaten into a coma: i was afraid to talk to the police. it took a lot for this one specific detective in fairfax county to tell me this is what you are going to do. i broke down and said i'll do whatever you want me to do. >> raphael: if someone was in your situation, how would you help coax them out of the cycle? >> there are so many resources. at the courthouse, there are advocates and community bases. national network to end domestic violence. they'll tell you the housing resources. time rather than you have to go into court. i was afraid for myself and my children to do that. i encourage people to take the resources from their churches, family, friends, community. it is very hard, i know. it was hard for me to admit i needed help. i had to start from the bottom up. i went to a shelt

ruth [inaudible] from oewd and amanda read from the treasurers office. >> good afternoon chair kim and supervisor avalos. my name is ruth supelt with office och economic and work force development. the mayors office and oewd work force decision looked at drive license suggestion possession sense twnt 14. first i would like to start with a couple point that may help you understand how a driver license suspension can prevent someone from being able to work. to begin when a license driver has access to a car they are able to work further from home and transit lines and/or during non traditional work hours. but having a license is not only important for transportation. employers require a drivers license to employment because driving is a part of a job or a way to screen applicants. a good deal of research points to the detrimental effect that suspended license can have on a person. one study found muthsers on public benefits were twice as likely to find employment if they had a drivers license. have aglicense is more important for fipeding steady work than a high school diploma. last year

ruth [inaudible] from oewd and amanda read from the treasurers office. >> good afternoon chair kim and supervisor avalos. my name is ruth supelt with office och economic and work force development. the mayors office and oewd work force decision looked at drive license suggestion possession sense twnt 14. first i would like to start with a couple point that may help you understand how a driver license suspension can prevent someone from being able to work. to begin when a license driver has access to a car they are able to work further from home and transit lines and/or during non traditional work hours. but having a license is not only important for transportation. employers require a drivers license to employment because driving is a part of a job or a way to screen applicants. a good deal of research points to the detrimental effect that suspended license can have on a person. one study found muthsers on public benefits were twice as likely to find employment if they had a drivers license. have aglicense is more important for fipeding steady work than a high school diploma. last year

ruth [inaudible] from oewd and amanda read from the treasurers office. >> good afternoon chair kim and supervisor avalos. my name is ruth supelt with office och economic and work force development. the mayors office and oewd work force decision looked at drive license suggestion possession sense twnt 14. first i would like to start with a couple point that may help you understand how a driver license suspension can prevent someone from being able to work. to begin when a license driver has access to a car they are able to work further from home and transit lines and/or during non traditional work hours. but having a license is not only important for transportation. employers require a drivers license to employment because driving is a part of a job or a way to screen applicants. a good deal of research points to the detrimental effect that suspended license can have on a person. one study found muthsers on public benefits were twice as likely to find employment if they had a drivers license. have aglicense is more important for fipeding steady work than a high school diploma. last year