Our journey through darkness

We received this beautiful blog from one of our clients and it moved all of us. We are so honoured to have the hard-working team that we do…

—

For years, my children and I lived in fear, trapped in a hostile environment where domestic violence was a daily reality. I carried the weight of physical, emotional, and mental abuse while trying to protect my kids from the trauma around us. But they felt it too, and slowly, they became victims themselves.

Despite the pain, I stayed silent for a long time. Financial dependence and the fear of my family breaking apart kept me holding on, hoping things might get better. But the abuse worsened. My husband’s cruelty changed — he began punishing us with silence, playing with my children’s emotions, and threatening to cut off all financial support.

In June 2024, everything changed. During an argument, my eldest daughter was physically abused. That moment was the breaking point. We finally reported the violence to the police, and life as we knew it started to shift. Suddenly, my husband left, blocking all access to money, leaving us with nothing — no groceries, no fuel, no money. The police issued an Apprehended Violence Order to protect us and assured me the state would support us, but the journey ahead felt overwhelming.

The very next day, Justice Support Centre called. They offered food and fuel vouchers and assigned a domestic violence social worker to us. Meeting Linh* was like a lifeline—she saw how tired and broken I was and gave me the support and encouragement I desperately needed. She helped me apply for victim support payments and the escape violence payment, which was enough to cover groceries and fuel for about two to three months. She visited regularly, met my children, and always showed kindness and understanding. She facilitated referrals to lawyers from her department, who provided me with enough information about my legal rights regarding property, parenting, and divorce issues.

She also referred me to a financial advisor who spoke on my behalf to the child support people and helped start the child support process. All the help was provided, and I didn’t have to go anywhere. Support people called me, guided me, and by following their instructions, I learned so much. This was indeed a new world. Though I was under huge stress, one thing I knew was that I wasn’t alone and my kids were well looked after.

With Linh’s help, I accessed counselling for myself and my kids, which was vital for healing after years of trauma. Though I had no family here and only a few close friends, this support became our anchor. Centrelink and Services Australia quickly stepped in to make sure our basic needs were met — food, housing, and money for bills — giving me some peace amid the chaos.

Amid all this, I found hope by returning to study. I began certificate courses and enrolled in a master’s in public health, taking steps to rebuild my life and regain my confidence. I was once a doctor in Pakistan, but years of abuse had crushed my spirit. My focus had been on keeping my children safe and helping them succeed, and their achievements became my light: my eldest now studies medicine at UNSW, my middle child is in biomedical engineering.

One of the hardest experiences was going to court as victims and witnesses. It was terrifying for me and my daughter, but our social worker guided us every step, supporting us in the safe room on the hearing day. We found our voices, told our story, and came out stronger on the other side.

Our journey through domestic violence was painful and frightening, but it also showed me the power of support — legal, emotional, financial, and practical. Without these services, I don’t know how we would have survived.

To any woman reading this: recognise the red flags early. Know that help is real and available. No one should suffer in silence — not you, and not your children.

There is another world beyond the fear — one filled with safety, confidence, and hope. Our story is one of survival, resilience, and the start of a new life.

*Name changed to protect privacy