Abused woman re-unites with children

MS Zambia Partner, Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) has helped a woman reunite with her children in their shelter for battered women.

Delphine Mutuyimana and her children

Delphine Mutuyimana was referred to the YWCA Women’s shelter for safety from her abusive husband. The woman came to the YWCA shelter while her case was being investigated by the police under the Victim Support Unit where she had reported the matter. When Delphine came to the YWCA shelter she was seven months pregnant and had a one year three months old baby while her other three children were with her husband. She was denied access to the children. The Rwandese National, who lived in Zambia with her family was married to a business man, who subjected her to physical and emotional violence.

Whilst Delphine was at the YWCA shelter her Husband sued for divorce which was erroneously granted by the courts. YWCA assisted the women to fight for the nullification of the divorce as the courts had no jurisdiction to grant divorce to the couple, since both parties where not Zambian Nationals.

YWCA also helped Delphine gain control of her children which her husband never allowed her to see whilst she was at the shelter. Later, while her case was still being investigated, the husband was arrested, and it was established that he was an illegal immigrant.

The husband to Delphine is currently in police custody while Delphine has reunited with her children and she has since been repatriated to her parents in her home country in Rwanda with the support from United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR).

”Gender based violence comes with many effects on the victim other than physical; the psychological effects of one separating with her children is traumatic”, states YMCA, who established the shelter to care for abused women. Confidential and non judgmental counselling as well as the provision of food and basic personal needs are among some of the services offered at the shelter.