Women's Refuge is New Zealand's largest nationwide organisation that supports and helps women and children experiencing family violence. Women's Refuge has deeply impacted many, the month of March we will be supporting this foundation.
Here are stories of experiences that some courageous women have shared.
Her story
It all started at the age of 20, I was living with my boyfriend at the time. He started using drugs and started physically abusing me. I was the only one working at the time, so if I refused to give him any money. He would slam my face against the wall, punch me, kick me in the stomach or grab me by the hair and drag me through the hall way. As his parents watched this they never interrupted instead I was told to learn to keep my mouth shut and not answer him back.
Leaving him was not an option at the time. I did not have any family or friends to go to at the time, all my friends were cut off by him. I really was terrified to do anything and stayed in this relationship for 6 years.
I suffered from a fractured jaw, broken nose, bruised ribs and a ton of mental trauma. Something I'm still working on till this day.
Leaving him was not an option at the time. I did not have any family or friends to go to at the time, all my friends were cut off by him. I really was terrified to do anything and stayed in this relationship for 6 years.
I suffered from a fractured jaw, broken nose, bruised ribs and a ton of mental trauma. Something I'm still working on till this day.
Some might have a story that turned out different to mine, some might still be in this type of story.
Please try and ask for help
I hope women all around the world find strength and healing ❤️🩹
I hope women all around the world find strength and healing ❤️🩹
Her story
8 years of my life I was stripped of all my mana my worth and my wairua was so bruised and broken i was almost unrecognisable. I was 22 years old and a single mum at the time when I met and fell hard for a man I thought was my hero.
At first the abuse was small and mostly verbal and not often enough to look like a pattern of behaviour but simply a random event ..skip ahead 2 years and my life was a living hell i was raising 2 children basically on my own. He had relapsed and was smoking Crack weekly. I would often be spotted with bruised legs from all the kicks, swollen hands from trying to block all the punches to my face, my head and abdomen were always his favourite places to hit because u cant see swelling and bruises when its covered. I was hospitalised twice in 1 year for broken fingers and fractures.
I finally had the courage to leave when he left that day to go get more drugs for himself. I grabbed my kids and went to the bus stop straight to Women's Refuge.
I'm finding myself again. Taking back the mana he had stripped from me. I am rebuilding relationships and gaining my life back.
This is my story
This is my story