Maya’s Journey to a New Beginning

Maya remembers the moment with terrifying clarity. Her husband’s hands were around her throat, and as the pressure tightened she could feel her world narrowing to a single point of fear. Her children were watching. In that moment, Maya believed she might not live long enough to see them grow up.

When she finally fled, she left with almost nothing except her children and the determination to keep them safe. Some nights they slept on friends’ floors. Other times they squeezed into small motel rooms. There were nights when Maya pulled the car to the side of the road so the children could sleep in the back seat while she tried to rest in the driver’s seat.

She worked through the night as a delivery driver so her children could eat. But every day the fear that circumstances might force her to return to the man who had strangled her and threatened to kill her and the children, followed her.

When Maya finally reached out to Centacare, she was exhausted and frightened, holding her life together by a thread. The team quickly helped her create a safety plan and secured a place for her and her children in a refuge where they could sleep without fear. They connected her with courses to rebuild her confidence and skills, and arranged legal support through a pro-bono law firm.

Today, Maya and her children are living in long-term subsidised housing where they can finally experience stability and peace. Her children are safe, and Maya is beginning to rebuild her life and apply for work. Something that once felt impossible.

For the first time in a long time, the future no longer feels like something to fear.

You can make a difference in the lives of women like Maya through a tax-deductible gift to Centacare’s Domestic and Family Violence service.