A woman in the North was forced to cook dinner for her family immediately after being physically and sexually abused.
Empower Pacific social worker Adi Selai Ritova said the survivor, a mother of three, endured over a decade of abuse from her partner while living in a de-facto relationship.
“The woman was locked in a room and beaten, only to be asked to return to household duties as if nothing had happened,” she said.
Adi Selai said the survivor’s ordeal came to light when her mother became concerned after she missed work for a week.
“At times, she was taken in a vehicle to a nearby river and beaten again. She had black and blue bruises all over her body and face.”
With support from the organisation and police, she said the woman was traced to her partner’s house, where her grandchildren warned that something terrible was happening.
“With police assistance, she jumped from the veranda into a police vehicle and was immediately taken to the hospital for medical care and counselling.
She said this case showed just how real gender-based violence is in the north.
She said survivors needed support and protection.
