Regardless of their age or the length of their marriage, women endure various forms of violence, most commonly physical and psychological abuse.
The experience of the client whom we supported from the moment she left the abusive relationship until her “recovery” demonstrates that violence against women is a pervasive problem affecting society as a whole.
After 35 years, the torture inflicted by her husband reached its peak when he spat at and attacked their older daughter. More serious injuries were prevented only because the two younger daughters managed to stop their father. She had previously reported her husband to the police when, while intoxicated, he attacked her, broke down the door, and threatened to kill them all. He received only a warning from the police. For a short time, he remained calm, but the abuse quickly resumed. For the woman, the hardest part was watching her children suffer and live in constant fear of being beaten or facing an even more severe escalation of violence. The moment he said he would kill them all and then turn himself in to the police was one of the decisive moments when she realized he would never change, and she decided to report him again.
He was issued a restraining order prohibiting him from approaching her and their daughters and moved to the upper floor of the house. Despite this measure, living in the same house remained tense, with constant provocations. After 35 years of enduring abuse while hoping things would improve, our client finally learned through the social welfare center about the Women’s Rights Center, as there was no free legal aid service in the town where she lived.
Confused, overwhelmed with fear, shame, and concern for her daughters, she could not forgive herself for what was happening to her, constantly justifying the situation by saying she believed her husband would calm down with age, although the abuse only became worse.
Given her condition, after the first conversation with her, we assessed that the best initial step would be for her to begin therapy sessions with our psychologist. She agreed, and after several sessions, she became determined to achieve her goal — to start a new life with her daughters. Strengthened in this way, she was ready for the court proceedings in which we prepared all the necessary legal steps for her to leave the abusive environment and exercise the rights guaranteed to her by law. We represented her in court, succeeded in exempting her from all court costs, and initiated the process of property division.
The greatest satisfaction for both her and us was that she became so empowered that she wanted to share her personal experience publicly so that as many women as possible could hear that they are not alone and that the Center of Women’s Rights is there for them at any moment. She agreed to be filmed, and during the 16 Days of Activism campaign, her story and message reached a large number of women. Through her testimony, she urges women not to endure abuse, to report violence, to understand that the abuser will not change, and to know that at the Center they can find the strength to build a life free from violence and fear.
