Why we opened this campaign
Catherine is 28 years old. She is an orphan and single mother of 4 wonderful twin girls who are now 8 years old and 2 years old. She has been in domestic violence for more than 7 years.
However, two and a half years ago, when she was pregnant with twins and carrying infant twins, with no parental support, no means of living, no profession or education, she decided to take a step toward freedom, away from fear, violence, and control. For her and her children, this step was salvation.
My mother told me: “If a man raises his hand against you, leave him at once! But despite my mother's warnings, I spent more than seven years in an abusive relationship...”
She met the father of the elder twins while she was in the army. Once Katya got pregnant, they rented an apartment and started living together. At that time she had no experience with relationships - she didn't know anything different. Initially, it was obvious that this would be a purely patriarchal relationship, which the young and inexperienced girl was willing to endure for the sake of "great love." He demanded her total obedience to his rules, without the right to her own opinion. She was obliged to behave herself properly and not to bother him with any talking, cooking, cleaning, taking care of the children, and never to take a rest. She was not allowed to go out without his permission, socialize with friends, or do her makeup. She immediately started noticing his outbursts of aggression, which he would sometimes apologize for. Later, the periods between his outbursts began to shorten and were soon completely erased. Half a year after the girls were born, he began to raise his hand against her...
"...The first time my husband beat me, I didn't know how to react. The second time I tried to resist. But my will was completely suppressed. I was financially dependent on him. And the girls and I had nowhere to go. I was an orphan. In two years, after another beating, I had enough courage to take the girls and run away. But a few weeks later I found out about my pregnancy. He begged us to come back. He promised that things would change. We came back..."
He dreamed of having a son. In the 19th week, after it was announced another girl was coming, his anger knew no bounds. He pointed a gun at her and she miscarried.
"...The turning point for me was when he beat me, then raised the gun at me in front of our girls. "My kids were screaming, 'No Daddy! No! Stop it!" I miscarried from terror. Then I promised myself, 'I won't take it anymore!'"....
Katya took her children and left home. She met the father of her younger twins after six months of wandering. He was polite and courteous. He immediately got the children to like him. She was impressed by his courtship. They began to live together...
"... I didn't have time to tell him about the pregnancy. When I came home I found him drunk. He tried to hit me. But this time I was determined not to make the same mistake as before. I took the girls and left...".
For seven months they were living in a shelter for domestically abused women. Then, thanks to one of myclad's helpers, they moved into a small one-room rental apartment, where the five of them have been living on a miserable single mother's allowance.
"... I am asking for your help because the girls and I are having a very hard time! I can't get to work yet. The girls are small and there is no money to pay for kindergarten. I have applied for an allowance, but I have to go through some bureaucratic procedures. We have debts for the apartment. There are a lot of things we lack, but unfortunately, there is no way to afford them. Please support us, so that I can get a job and support us..."
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