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Know you’re not alone It’s never too late to seek help for domestic abuse. Rosa* was 69 when she separated from her husband. For the past 35 years she had faced continual verbal, emotional and physical abuse. On one occasion he attacked her with a pair of shears, trying to kill her. This was one of the few incidents that Rosa reported to the police. However, after being told by her family that to get divorced at her age was shameful, she withdrew the allegation. Her husband also physically abused their two severely disabled sons. They all lived in fear. After witnessing an instance of abuse, our Adult Social Care team contacted Camden Safety Net, our support service for individuals and families who have been affected by domestic violence and abuse. Rosa was assigned a case worker from Camden Safety Net. She gradually confided in her case worker about the extent of the abuse and how she feared for both her own and her children’s safety. Finally, with support, Rosa found the courage to leave her husband and the abusive situation. Rosa says: “If Camden Safety Net had not intervened, my children and I would have continued to endure abuse from him in silence. I feel sad that we are no longer 20 | Camden | October 2016
If someone is stopping you from contacting your family and friends, you may feel isolated or trapped – but there is help and support available