aplus.com: Women Are Escaping Abusive Men Thanks To Unlikely Allies

Sep 08, 2015

It’s tough to get away from a violent living situation, but Meathead Movers is helping women move out and move on with their lives.

BY JOEL LYONS

A California-based moving company is helping victims of abuse escape dangerous and even deadly living situations.

Meathead Movers announced Friday that it would donate no-cost moving services to the Los Angeles-based Good Shepherd Shelter, a nonprofit organization that will divide the assistance among domestic abuse victims.

“We know how hard it is to pack up someone’s life and move it to a new location — but it’s unimaginable to think about a woman and her children trying to pack up all their belongings and flee before the abuser returns home,” Meathead Movers President and CEO Aaron Steed says in a press release.

“The service Meathead Movers provides helps our clients — who become instant single moms — save a lot of money and provide a safer way to relocate,” Good Shepherd Shelter Executive Director Mandy Gibson says. “It also helps that the young men are trained to be sensitive to the needs of the family and set a good example for the children as well.”

Steed and his brother Evan founded Meathead Movers in 1997, and the company proudly employs athletes who might have a tough time working due to their sometimes irregular, often busy schedules. The company has “moved hundreds and hundreds of victims of domestic violence over the last 15 years,” Aaron Steed told A Plus.

“Women would call upset and desperate to get themselves and their kids out of abusive situations,” Erin Steed, corporate controller of Meathead Movers, told Refinery29. “The victims are often cut off from the finances. They would offer TVs, or anything else they had, to pay for the move,” she said, noting that the company’s team refused to accept payment when helping out.

“Not only do these services help the victims of domestic abuse, but they directly impact Meathead employees — consisting of predominantly young men who believe that real men don’t hit women, real men help those in need,” a spokeswoman of Good Shepherd Shelter told LA Weekly.

“We have encouraged a number of other companies to get involved in ending domestic violence, including a financial advisor offering financial literacy, an auto mechanic who offers free tune-ups, a real estate person to offer free help in finding real estate and more,” Aaron Steed said to A Plus. “Our goal is to continue to influence other companies to provide products or services at no-cost to the community members that need it most.”

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 20 people a minute are physically abused by an intimate partner, equating to nearly 10 million people being victimized each year.

That’s far too many, but with tangible from help from the likes of Meathead Movers, more will be able to get out and live safer lives.

“We’d like to challenge other businesses to get involved,” Aaron Steed said. “There are so many different products and services across the country that could help women and men facing abuse and trying to start a new life. We hope that by spreading the word about these services, we’re able [to] persuade other businesses to do the same.”

And the recipients of these good deeds will be eternally thankful.

“I have a picture on my desk of a strong Meathead in a superhero cape that was given to me by a child from one of the shelters we work with,” Aaron Steed said to A Plus. “You don’t realize how big of an impact you have on these families lives.”

Source: https://aplus.com/a/meathead-movers-moving-domestic-abuse-?no_monetization=true