Empower Abused and Trafficked Vietnamese Women

Tra felt that her married life would not be very easy fairly soon after she married. Her husband was sent to jail for 6 months, being accused of damaging others’ property. Her mother-in-law did not consider her as a daughter-in-law, but just another source of income for the family. She expected her to make money while insulting and beating her. While Tra was pregnant, her mother-in-law made her spray insecticide on their farm and sometimes even beat her pregnant belly, saying that the baby was not her grandchild. Tra’s husband finally got out of jail but only ended up beating her on a daily basis. Tra would try to visit her parents’ home with her child to sometimes get away from her husband and the dire situation she was in.

Tra was wrong in thinking that her parents’ home would be a safe shelter for her while being ostracized by her husband’s family. She was the youngest of 4 children but her father left their family when Tra was young. Unfortunately, her brother and sister-in-law turned her and her son away even though they knew the of the horrendous abuse that was happening to her by the hands of her husband and his family. Selfishly, they were afraid that if Tra continued to stay in their home, they would have to share the family’s land property with her as well. They even locked Tra and her son, who was less than 1 year old, outside of the house at night until Tra’s mother returned and let them in. Her own brother and his wife would beat and insult Tra, completely determined to kick her out of the house.

Having nobody to ask for support, Tra sought help from local NGOs. Eventually, through referrals, she was able to come to Hagar. At Hagar, she was supported with safe accommodations, nutrition and health care for both her and her son. She felt thankful for finally finding a really safe and thriving place for her son to be in. “If I had not found this house, I would not have had anywhere else to go to. I couldn’t neither go back to my husband’s family, nor my own family.”

Tra wonders if growing up in a family without a father, which, among other reasons, may have caused her brother to be violent. Tra did not want her son to grow up the same way. Though she became a mother at a relatively young age, she wanted only the best for her son. “I cannot be more thankful to have Hagar with me to heal my scars and rebuild my life. Hagar appeared when I was most desperate taking my child to run away from my violent husband and brother.” With Hagar’s support, her son is now going to kindergarten, which allows her some free time to spend on herself: getting psychological counseling, learning about infant care, and taking up therapeutic arts activities at Hagar Recovery Center.

Once a feeling desperation and helplessness by having her own family and husband turning their back on her, Tra has now discovered the beauty of life because there are still people like the Hagar staff, who used to be complete strangers to her, that now sympathize with her and are committed to supporting her and her son in any way they can for as long as it takes.