It’s important to highlight that domestic violence comes in many guises: physical, sexual and psychological, including coercive and controlling behaviour and financial deprivation. To mark the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, three women from the UK, Kenya and Palestine share their deeply personal experiences of domestic violence.Hannah*, 36
“He continued being violent after we got married. Then I became pregnant with my son, and I got really tired of what was happening, so I left. He went crazy and kept calling me, being really abusive. We did reconcile again and I had the baby. But he was still the same. At one point, I said ‘Don't touch me, stop what you're doing’ and he replied, ‘No you're my wife, I can do whatever I want.
“I went to a counsellor for quite a few years after I left my husband. After everything that’s happened, I have PTSD; I have anxiety attacks. But since my ex-husband was convicted, I feel more settled. Now I am able to use my experience to help other women who are going through domestic violence.”Ruth from Kenya, was a victim of domestic violence for five years.
“Now, I’m eight months pregnant and I live alone with my two boys. He comes to our new house at night and knocks on the gate for two hours, then leaves. It’s scary – you never know what he’s got planned. I am scared he might be coming here to kill us. “It got worse after I failed my final exam at high school. I wanted to retake the exam, but my father said he would marry another woman if I did that. He wanted me to get married, instead of continuing with my education. My father had already planned to marry again, but when I decided to retake the exam, he used it as a justification. At this point, he became more violent to me and my mother. He also stopped giving our family any financial support.
So touching and I just wish the narrative could change.
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