Women-led group seeks to help victims of domestic violence

ABIGAIL volunteers and supporters gather for a picture after their “Act Like a Queen” banquet last Saturday at Pepoy’s Restaurant Chalan Kanoa. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Seeking to further empower women and advocate against domestic violence in families, the ABIGAIL organization announced that they plan to extend their services and are inviting members of the community to get involved in their mission.

During the organization’s Act Like a Queen banquet in Chalan Kanoa last Saturday, ABIGAIL organization president and co-founder Femie Rey said the young nonprofit organization was born right in the midst of the COVID- 19 pandemic in 2020, when so many cases of domestic violence occurred as a result of the enforced lockdown.

Rey said reading about these incidents prompted her and her husband, Manuelito Rey, and their associates, Jim and Jane Turnbull, to start the organization. Rey said their vision is to “build communities of strong healthy families where everyone has an opportunity to have a life free of oppression.” ABIGAIL’s mission then is to empower women and their families through the building of healthy family relationships and supporting victims of domestic violence.

As of now, Rey said they have more than 10 volunteers, and their services are limited at the moment to preventive services, but she does hope to expand these to include counselling, workshops, and a food program catering to those in need, not necessarily just women, but also families. They are also open to more people getting involved.

At the moment, they are partnering with the Northern Marianas Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Rey said, and they’re sending their volunteers to undergo training with the coalition in order to teach ABIGAIL volunteers how work with individuals in these complicated situations.

“Helping our community cannot be done by just one organization. It cannot be done by few. We need to collaborate, we need to bring in different stakeholders to keep our community safe,” Rey stated.

When asked what was behind the name Abigail, Rey said the nonprofit organization wasn’t just named after a Biblical character, Abigail, but each letter in the name stands for something: “A” for advocacy; “B” for brilliance; “I” for Intelligence; “G” for good morals; “A” for affirmation; “I” for instruction; and “L” for love.

And although it may appear that way, ABIGAIL is not a religious organization, Rey said; it aims to help anyone. “Volunteers are not limited to those who go to churches. …They don’t need be a member of our church.”

Rey said the organization is separate from their church, but the church is just currently providing a temporary facility for them. “This organization’s support should be for everyone who are victims of domestic violence, regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, and social status.” She said the organization is open to all those who want to volunteer or are in need of some kind of assistance.

Rey said that ABIGAIL’s is open to anyone who wants to volunteer their time, or place, whether to conduct a workshop where skills can be taught and learned; or donate food or money to push the cause forward.

For inquiries or more information on how to get involved, contact Rey at femierey.abigails@gmail.com.