Over half the women making journeys to services have children with them – and their children are important in what they are thinking and doing.
Mothering on the move is not easy – women are trying to support their children to make sense of the abuse and to understand the need to relocate; at the same time as dealing with all the practical and emotional disruptions.
I said [to the Housing officer] – if I was on my own, I’d sleep in a tree; but it’s my little baby! Why does he have to go through that?
[Gloria – age 41 with a 1 year old boy]
For my son – changing schools – you know, it confuses children from one place to another. It’s like – he’s changed three times […] in a short period of time; so it wasn’t something that I wanted to do to my children.
[Tracy – age 34 with a 12 year old boy and a 3 year old girl]
I think she [daughter] always feels that she ain’t going to be around her friends forever – she thinks she’s always going to be taken away from them. That’s why I want to have her settled before she’s in a school – because it’s getting close now – and I just don’t want to have to move her.
[Jenny – age 21 with a 3 year old girl]
My daughter hates me, because she’s lost her friends – she’s got difficulties with social – she’s Asperger’s – so, of course, she’s made friends and all of a sudden she’s got to go as well – so she’s suffering. And I wouldn’t let her out, so she says – I’m going to run away; because you won’t let me out – it’s wrong. But I couldn’t explain to her – because he’s [ex partner] always nice to her – do you know what I mean. In fact, sometimes, he’d try and get her on side against me.
[Maud – age 42 with an adult son and 14 year old girl]
However, in escaping the violence, mothers also talk about the positives as their children are able to feel safe and begin to recover; and they themselves are able to be the mother they would want to be.
I think what a better life we’ve got now, and he’s changed – he’s like a different child – all that anger’s gone; and the swearing and the pulling of the hair – he’s like a different person. And the compliments that people say – oh, he’s an asset to you; isn’t he polite… and when I was with his dad I’d never had that – never – because he was just so naughty.
I really do enjoy life, and I appreciate life – so you have got a bit of a second chance to make a relationship with your child.
[Violet – age 35 with a 6 year old boy]
It’s like last Mother’s Day she put her arms around me and give me a hug and said – you’re the best mum ever! It’s the first time ever in my life she’s hugged me – because she doesn’t do hugs; they [children with Asperger’s] don’t like that – touching things.
[Maud – age 42 with an adult son and 14 year old girl]
Now – the more often that I take him out – he’s getting used to it now; and I’m actually happy for him – his health and everything has just changed. He used to be plugged with colds and coughs and all that, but now he’s a happy baby!
[Gloria – age 41 with a 1 year old boy]