No Helping Hand For Women

THESE past few months I have listened to many people speaking out against woman and child abuse, but the question remains: Do they even know what a hassle it is to get any help from anyone? For the last year and maybe a half I have been struggling to get a protection order.

I have gone from court to court, magistrate to magistrate and even the Woman and Child Protection Unit of the Police, but all in vain. I have been told that I cannot be helped because the person abusing me is my ex-husband and we are no longer married.Never mind the fact that we have a child together, which according to information available on the Internet allows me to get help because we are in a domestic relationship.I have been beaten, abused in all different ways you can get, and there is not a thing I can do about it.The Woman and Child Protection Unit (WACPU) at one stage told me that they are reluctant to help women in such a situation, because we always tend to go back to the abuser.Can you believe that? I wouldn’t ask for help if I didn’t need any, wouldn’t you say? In the end, I finally managed to get an interim protection order issued, but it’s two full months later and the order has NOT been served on my ex.According to the Police they don’t have a car available or they can’t find him.The same goes for the cases I have made against my ex – he is still as free as a bird and I have to look over my shoulder everywhere I go, because I could bump into him at any time, or he could turn up at my house, and then I would have it again! The only one who have been able and willing to help me so far, was the Ombudsman himself.He has never been too busy for me, even to just listen while I cry.Thank God for people in power who actually listen! It’s so easy for people to talk, but we down here going through these things know better.We are the ones dealing with all this.Isn’t there anything our Ministry could do in order for us women to have help readily available to us? It is so difficult for women in such a situation to stand up and go look for help, and to struggle as I have to just to let justice prevail, leaves you hopeless, depressed and with no hope for the future.E M Izaaks Via e-mailI have been told that I cannot be helped because the person abusing me is my ex-husband and we are no longer married.Never mind the fact that we have a child together, which according to information available on the Internet allows me to get help because we are in a domestic relationship.I have been beaten, abused in all different ways you can get, and there is not a thing I can do about it.The Woman and Child Protection Unit (WACPU) at one stage told me that they are reluctant to help women in such a situation, because we always tend to go back to the abuser.Can you believe that? I wouldn’t ask for help if I didn’t need any, wouldn’t you say? In the end, I finally managed to get an interim protection order issued, but it’s two full months later and the order has NOT been served on my ex.According to the Police they don’t have a car available or they can’t find him.The same goes for the cases I have made against my ex – he is still as free as a bird and I have to look over my shoulder everywhere I go, because I could bump into him at any time, or he could turn up at my house, and then I would have it again! The only one who have been able and willing to help me so far, was the Ombudsman himself.He has never been too busy for me, even to just listen while I cry.Thank God for people in power who actually listen! It’s so easy for people to talk, but we down here going through these things know better.We are the ones dealing with all this.Isn’t there anything our Ministry could do in order for us women to have help readily available to us? It is so difficult for women in such a situation to stand up and go look for help, and to struggle as I have to just to let justice prevail, leaves you hopeless, depressed and with no hope for the future. E M Izaaks Via e-mail