PEOPLE can only do to you what you allow them to get away with. This was the powerful message at AMCARE’s Women’s Month event. AMCARE’S annual Women’s Month event was once again a great success. More than 50 women attended with many powerful speakers sharing heartfelt stories.
One such story, with a happy ending for a brave mother and her four daughters, follows. Her identity was withheld.
“I was in an abusive relationship from 2009. Regular verbal and emotional abuse as well as physical beatings occurred, which often involved accusing me of having an affair. Although I had a good job and could afford a decent cellphone I was only allowed to have a cheap model that could receive and make calls and nothing more.
“My life and that of my four daughters was a living hell. I got myself another cellphone that my husband did not know about, but unfortunately he found out about it and gave me a severe beating.
“My second eldest daughter tried to help me and received a kick in her chest. I woke up in hospital and was in high care for a week with trauma to the head and was in hospital from February 10 to 17. Only my eldest daughter visited me as my husband sat outside to see who was visiting me, still convinced I was having an affair.
“On being discharged from hospital, I was referred to AMCARE’S Victim’s Empowerment Programme for assistance with sheltering, counselling and legal aspects and learned about our self-worth. AMCARE is manna from heaven. We didn’t just relax and think through our ordeal; it was a self-meditation and spiritual journey where I learnt people can only treat you the way you let them. Thank you, AMCARE.”
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