marie claire

Meet The Meathead Movers Helping Victims Of Domestic Violence

marie claire

Updated 8 September 2015 at 8:18 pm

Meathead Movers in the US are helping victims of domestic violence make a fresh start. Photo:Facebook

A US moving company called Meathead Movers is helping victims of domestic violence move out of their home for free.

The Californian company, run by brothers Aaron and Evan Steed, has teamed up with a number of women's shelters, including the Good Shepherd Shelter of Los Angeles, to move victims’ possessions free of charge.

"We work hard, have fun, and serve our community by… assisting victims of domestic violence with a fresh start in life,” Meathead Movers said in a statement.

"Domestic violence is unfortunately far too common and, too often, a topic that is hidden away. We partner with a number of organisations across the state, and those folks are true angels," they added.

The idea came about in the early days of their business, when it became clear there was a need for such a service after receiving regular calls from women in desperate need of help.

"When my brother and I first started our company while we were in high school, what happened — to our surprise — is that we’d get phone calls from women who were fleeing their abuser," Aaron Steed, CEO of Meathead Movers, tells Yahoo Health.

"They’d offer us a free TV — you could hear their desperation. They just needed to get out. So we’d go in and just help out for free."

Family owned company, Meathead Movers, are doing their part to help victims of domestic violence. Photo: Facebook

However it's not just women Meathead Movers help, the company offer the same service to male victims of abuse.

"Any victim, regardless of gender, is one too many, and we want to do what we can to support anyone in an untenable situation," they added in a post on their Facebook page.

"We take our cues from our partner organisations as far [as] identifying victims to receive these moves."

The brothers have now partnered with seven different organisations in the US to help victims of domestic violence get a new start, and they hope that their story will inspire other companies to donate products and services to those in need.

"My brother and I just set a goal of 1,000 companies around the world to figure out how they can donate their product or services, and to share it on our Facebook wall," adds Steed.

"For example, the local self-defence class can offer free model mugging, the local automatic can offer a free tune-up, the local clothing store can offer free clothes. Because it’s not just escaping a violent situation—it’s building these victims back up from transitional living to the next phase of life."

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse in their relationship call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) from anywhere in Australia 24/7.