A Safe Haven

A Safe Haven

Research shows that one in three women and one in five men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. That’s someone’s sister, brother, mother, father, aunty, uncle, best friend—someone that you know. It doesn’t discriminate in age, gender, culture, religion or economic background. It affects us all.

A dedicated group of three women have come together to form the not-for-profit Friends With Dignity, whose aim is to assist the victims of domestic violence through a range of programs such as creating sanctuaries, providing urgent care items, and special assistance to the most innocent of domestic violence victims, the children.

For this month’s special theme of Celebrating Women, we asked these amazing women about their inspiration in forming Friends with Dignity – these are their stories.

MANUELA WHITFORD FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

I don’t have a personal DV story but what I can say is that I know and understand what living in fear means

Seven years ago I moved to Australia from South Africa seeking a life where I no longer had to live in fear!

About two years before immigrating, leaving family, friends and the place I called home, I was assaulted by eight men. I was on my way to see a patient and never did I imagine I would become a victim that day.

Following this horrendous experience, I vowed I would never be a victim to such behaviour again, and promptly started making plans to immigrate.

Eight months on, I was in court testifying as a state witness, and three days in I was boarding a plane to Australia - the land of plenty, the Utopia of all places! I could not wait to live without fear!