. >> reporter: it's aleah mcwilliam's first domestic violence support group led by norma ward. >> you not at all being blamed for what happened to you. >> no, you're not. >> it's not your fault. >> reporter: norma is the cofounder of progressive transitions a nonprofit that helps women and families break free of domestic violence. >> you're saying i don't want to do this anymore. i don't want to feel this way about myself. i don't want to be in danger. >> reporter: thanks to norma, aleah's healing has begun. >> like a big break had been lifted off my chest. i'm going to walk away today and i'm just going to feel like really good. >> reporter: for 30 years, norm that ward has been a social worker in oakland but throughout her career, she has noticed a troubling trend. >> seeing people on this constant turn style of treatment, losing kids, having a baby, the child has to go into foster care. i said, there's something going on. >> reporter: norma discovered the root of the problem while counseling women. >> the violence is the key that people just don't talk about because they grew up no

>> reporter: it's aleah's first economistic violence support group, led by norma ward. >> you are not at all being blamed for what happened to you. it's not your fault. >> reporter: norma is the cofounder of progressive transitions, a nonprofit that helps women and families break free of domestic violence. >> you're saying, you know what? i don't want to do this anymore. i don't want to feel this way about myself. i don't want to be in danger. >> reporter: thanks to norma, aleah's healing has begun. >> feels like a big brick has been lifted off of my chest. i'm going to walk away today and i'm going to feel like -- really g. >> reporter: for 30 years, norma ward has been a social worker in oakland. but throughout her career, she's noticed a troubling trend. >> seeing people on this constant turnstile of treatment, losing kids, having a baby, the child has to go to foster care, there's something going on. >> reporter: norma discovered the root of the problem while counseling women. >> violence is the key that people don't talk about, because they grew up not talking about it. >> report

. >> reporter: it's alia mcquilliams first domestic violence group led by norma ward. >> you are not at all being blamed for what happened to you. >> no, you're not. >> it's not your fault. >> reporter: norma is the cofounder of progressive transitions a nonprofit that helps women and families break free of domestic violence. >> you're saying i don't want to do this anymore. i don't want to feel this way about myself. i don't want to be in danger. >> reporter: thanks to norma, alia's healing has begun. >> like a big break had been lifted off my chest. i'm going to walk away today and i'm just going to feel like really good. >> reporter: for 30 years, norm that ward has been a social worker in oakland but throughout her career, she has noticed a troubling trend. >> seeing people on this constant turnstile of tree. , losing kids, having a baby, the child has to go into foster care. i said there's something going on. >> reporter: norma discovered the root of the problem while counseling women. >> the violence is the key that people just don't talk about because they grew up not talking a