Susan J. Rubio Rivera always knew her calling was to help women and girls overcome the trauma of violence.
Driven by her own harrowing experience, and the lack of resources available to her back then, she launched MUJER Inc. (Mujeres Unidas en Justicia, Educación y Reforma) in 1996, a nonprofit offering services and support to hundreds of victims of domestic and sexual assault in South Miami-Dade, particularly among migrant workers.
MUJER is one of only two state-certified rape crisis centers in Miami-Dade County and manages a 24/7 sexual assault helpline. Comprehensive services include free therapy, legal assistance, help securing emergency shelter, and financial assistance.
A third-generation migrant worker, Rivera witnessed her mother being abused and was a victim of sexual abuse at age 5 by a family member. Later, she endured domestic violence at the hands of an ex-husband, who she left at age 19 with two small children. She will turn 70 next month and still becomes emotional when recounting the experience.
“I understand firsthand the tremendous impact abuse can have on children, and I wanted to create an organization that would be responsive to our community with a mission to protect and help women and children,” Rivera said.
In Latino culture, Rivera said, “abuse is normalized” and it’s a major contributing factor. One of her priorities has been going into communities and educating families to combat and end the cycle of abuse.
MUJER is growing with support from partners and national organizations, including a $1 million grant from Mackenzie Scott’s Yield Giving Open Call. The Miami Foundation awarded $500,000 to Kristi House, a children’s advocacy center, to establish the new “Healing Sanctuary” in Homestead in partnership with MUJER. The center will operate as a full-service hub including local partners and agencies working together to assist people affected by violence and trauma.
The impact of abuse is staggering, but with access to support and resources, some have been able to transform their lives.
Laila Perez was referred to MUJER by the court system after being sexually abused at age 9. Five years later, she returned for counseling and finally began healing.
“It’s been life changing,” she said. “Counseling helped me begin to process what I went through. It helped me believe in myself again. It was the first time I felt seen and heard.”
At 29, her life is very different now. Perez earned a master’s degree in data science. She is happily married with three children and recently bought a new home in Homestead, where she grew up.
“Some might think asking for help is a sign of weakness, but it’s not,” Perez said. “It’s the first step toward freedom.”
Across the county, in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood, Constance Collins has been dedicated to helping homeless women and children rebuild their lives for over 20 years. Her nonprofit, Lotus House, is the largest women’s shelter in the country and a national model of excellence. She also established and leads the National Women’s Shelter Network, launched during the pandemic and now including over 400 shelters across the country.
What began in a dilapidated building she purchased with her own money, providing only 34 beds, has grown into a five-story complex with the capacity to shelter 525 women and children nightly.
Across the street from the shelter, Collins is getting ready to unveil the new Children’s Village in November, which will provide vital resources including therapy, education, as well as activities for children in the community.
“Here at Lotus House, we have a ‘children first’ focus,” Collins said. “What I’ve learned after years of doing this work is that if we really want to address homelessness, we need to invest in children early on before they become homeless.”
Many factors can contribute to homelessness, but Collins said violence is top of the list.
Of the approximately 1,500 women Lotus House serves annually, 1 in 2 have been victims of sexual abuse as a child. The shelter has a team of mental health experts on staff and an extensive network of partners supporting its mission.
“I attribute our success to the community that has rallied around us,” Collins said. “No one person does anything completely alone. It takes a village — many hands and many hearts.”
MUJER Inc. 1600 NW Sixth Ct., Florida City 305-247-1388 24/7 Crisis Hotline: 305-763-2459 https.mujerfla.org
Lotus House Women’s Shelter 217 NW 15th St., Miami 305-438-0556 https.lotushouse.org
