Profiles

Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.

Victoria

Victoria met her ex-partner in 2011, and during the 15 month relationship, she experienced on-going and subtle emotional - psychological abuse which affected her self-esteem and confidence. Since leaving in 2012, Victoria is trying to move on and to once again find her inner peace'. (Video clips read by a professional.)

  • Background

    Victoria is a white British woman who lives in a privately rented home with her son, aged three. She works part-time as a support worker and at the time of...

  • Age at interview 42
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Kanya

    Kanya met her husband when he was on holiday in Thailand. He returned to Thailand to marry her and the couple settled in England with Kanya's nine year old son from a previous relationship. After five happy years, Kanya endured years of verbal and financial abuse from her husband who lost his job, drank heavily and controlled her behaviour. She eventually fled, alone, to a women's refuge and then to a flat where her elder son joined her.

  • Background

    Kanya is a 41 year old Thai woman, separated from her English husband after ten years of marriage. She lives with her adult son in a council flat. Her younger...

  • Age at interview 41
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Liz

    Liz is now divorced from her second husband who subjected her to physical abuse, controlling behaviour and harassment, as well as abusing their daughter aged seven. Liz did not recognise his behaviour as domestic abuse, since she grew up in a household where physical violence was prevalent. Liz is keen to increase awareness of domestic violence and abuse by speaking out in her workplace and through other networks and is keen to see better support services in place.

  • Background

    Liz is a 46 year old, white British woman who is divorced and lives in her own home with her three children and stepson. She works full-time as a Tax...

  • Age at interview 46
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Min

    Min survived an early relationship with a physically abusive boyfriend. She went on to marry twice and experienced coercive control, financial and sexual abuse, and a form of psychological abuse known as gas-lighting' where her partner twisted information leading her to doubt her own sanity. (Video clips played by an actor.)

  • Background

    Min is a 47 year old mixed race single woman living with her four children in a privately rented home in a rural area. She works as a Pilates teacher,...

  • Age at interview 47
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Tina

    Tina met her long-term partner when she was 16 and the relationship lasted for 30 years. They separated recently after years of emotional, sexual and financial abuse. She is still subject to harassment and financial abuse from her ex, and emotional abuse from her children. She is getting help from a domestic abuse support worker.

  • Background

    Tina is a 50 year old single white British woman, living with her dog and her son’s tortoise in a Housing Association house. She is unable to work owing to...

  • Age at interview 50
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Tanya

    Tanya first met her husband when she was 21. They married in 2001 when she was 31, by which time they had three children. Throughout their relationship, her husband was verbally, emotionally and physically abusive to Tanya and also to their children, especially to their daughter. Tanya and her husband were together for 20 years in total and although she left him in 2012, he has refused to sign the divorce papers so four years later she is still legally married to him.

  • Background

    Tanya is a 45 year old white British woman who lives with her three children in a rented home. Educated to degree level, Tanya works part-time and also volunteers for...

  • Age at interview 45
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Catherine

    Raised by a domineering and physically controlling father and a violent alcoholic mother, Catherine's experience of abuse began during her childhood. As an adult, she has been physically attacked, both by an ex-partner and one of her sons. From 2000 she lived in a 12 year negative' marriage, which was characterised by her husband's controlling and manipulative behaviour. (Video clips played by an actor.)

  • Background

    Catherine is a white British woman who lives with her new partner in their owned home. Catherine is doing postgraduate study at university. She has two sons, both in their...

  • Age at interview 46
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Sophie

    Sophie describes her ex-husband as a clever' and charming' man. However, since their four year marriage ended nearly five years ago, she has been able to recognise that her relationship to him was abusive from the very beginning; that he is a manipulative' and parasitic' individual and that she was just a resource for him'.

  • Background

    Sophie is a well-educated, single white woman who lives with her two children (aged eight and eighteen years at the time of the interview) in their privately owned home. She...

  • Age at interview 49
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Anna

    It wasn't until she had left her long-term partner in 2014 and attended the Freedom Programme that Anna began to recognise the extent of domestic abuse she had experienced for 10 years. Although she has recovered from the physical bruises she is unsure how long the mental side will take to heal'.

  • Background

    Anna is a single, white British woman. She lives in a council property with two of her six children, one of whom has special needs. She works part-time as a...

  • Age at interview 47
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Melanie

    Melanie described living in abuse' for many years. She was abused by a family member as a toddler, a teacher when she was age 11 and then from a number of intimate partners. She has recently escaped a coercive controlling relationship and is beginning to speak out about her experiences, to help others.

  • Background

    Melanie is 42 year old, black British (Caribbean) woman, single and living with her daughters aged 22, 20 and seven. She is a support worker for people with learning disabilities,...

  • Age at interview 42
  • Sex/Gender Female