I came to Logifem after several stays in conjugal violence shelters and seven months in a detox facility.
It was when my daughter was around two years old that the violence at home got very difficult and my partner and I separated. My partner refused to leave the house and I sought refuge in a conjugal violence shelter for the second time. With legal assistance, we managed to get him out of the house. When I went back home I discovered that he had smashed all of our dishes, some of which were precious family treasures. After all this I fell into a major depression and had to stop work.
My partner moved to another town. Wanting to ensure my daughter had some stability, I bought my partner’s share of the house. But, I was unable to manage everything: being a single parent, dealing with the emotional trauma of the violence, trying to work full time. I was unable to make the mortgage repayments. Our house was repossessed.
Feeling isolated, I thought that if I could leave the city to live in the same town as my ex-partner and his extended family, things might go better as we would be able to share custody of our daughter and I would have some support. But the psychological violence and intimidation continued. During this period I was drinking heavily. Eventually I went into detox and from there I came to Logifem, and now I have been sober for a year.
All of this has been so hard on my daughter. She keeps asking me when she can see all her toys again, because all of our things have been in storage for a long time.
At Logifem I met an Intervention Worker who changed my life. She helped me to believe I can be loved again. She really knows how to get the best out of me.
I have hope now for a better future for my daughter and me. Thanks to Logifem, soon we will be moving into an apartment where we’ll be able to continue to rebuild our lives. I’m working now and my daughter has made some friends in her school. With the support of Logifem I believe that we will be able to find stability and have a good life.
