Rebuilding trust after the horrors of domestic violence

Mother “felt dead” after domestic violence

The beatings were so brutal that Fahrie* was unable to move afterwards. Her close friends and family knew that the attacker was her husband – and simply advised Fahrie to give her marriage another chance.

In Albania, a shame and honour culture silences victims of domestic violence – and there is little safety net for anyone who wants to escape.

“I was living, but I felt like I was dead,” said Fahrie, 40, who lives in a rural area of Albania.

“I gave birth to two children, but the violence continued. One day he decided to go abroad to work. The physical abuse ended but I was still terrified of him.”

An offer of help from Mission Without Borders

Arjana works for Mission Without Borders – and approached Fahrie with an offer of help for her family.

Fahrie and Arjana

“When I first met Fahrie, she was discouraged and hopeless,” Arjana said. “She was barely able to take care of herself and her children.

“She had lost trust in people – so the only way into her heart was through faith and God’s love. It was not easy. It’s a long, difficult process.”

A future filled with hope

As well as receiving emotional and practical support from Arjana, Fahrie went with her to women’s Bible studies. 

Fahrie received support through Mission Without Borders’s Seeds of Hope project, too, and began growing crops on her land, providing fresh vegetables for her family.

“You have saved me from living in darkness and from death,” she said. “Now I’ve found the strength to respect myself, to fight for my family, to look for any temporary jobs I can find, and to work so I can provide something for my kids. They have changed too and I feel blessed.”

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