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Maricopa County Supervisor Debbie Lesko recounts past domestic abuse, urges survivors to seek help
Summary
Maricopa County Supervisor Debbie Lesko described surviving an abusive relationship, said she rebuilt her life with help from a friend and community resources, and urged others in similar situations to seek assistance; a presenter cited prevalence statistics and provided a local helpline.
Maricopa County Supervisor Debbie Lesko recounted experiencing domestic abuse in an earlier relationship and urged survivors to seek help during a recorded address. Lesko opened by thanking her husband, Joe Lesko, and said she and her young daughter left the abusive situation after threats from her ex-husband.
Lesko said the abuse included physical and psychological control. "He would hold knives to my throat and said, 'now you're gonna die,'" Lesko said. She told listeners that neighbors and police sometimes intervened but that she denied abuse when officers arrived because she feared retaliation.
Lesko described a turning point when her ex-husband threatened to take her daughter. "When he threatened to steal my daughter, that was the most impactful for me," she said, adding that a $1,000 loan from a friend allowed her to obtain a small apartment and begin rebuilding her life.
She described early hardships after leaving the relationship: sharing meals with her daughter to save money and a broken station wagon she could not afford to repair or reclaim from impoundment.
An on-stage presenter cited a statistic attributed to the Arizona Coalition to End Domestic Violence, saying, "1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced domestic violence." The presenter also provided local support contact information: "For domestic violence support, call (602) 279-2980 or email helpline at aces d v dot org," the presenter said.
Lesko framed her story as encouragement to others in abusive relationships. "My advice is to any women who are involved in an abusive relationship is to leave. There is hope," she said.
No formal action, motion, or vote was recorded in the transcript segment. The remarks were personal testimony and referral to support services rather than a policy proposal or board action.
