“I now know about my rights, and I know I am empowered”

“My husband and I had seven children and 14 grandchildren. I was married for 46 years. He then married another younger wife and wanted to evict me from our home.

He started physically abusing me, forcing me to live with my grandchildren so he could live with his new wife. One day, he beat me up and stepped on me, choking me with his boot. I struggled to get away but could not release myself. Our young neighbour rescued me; he intervened, asking my husband to stop. When I was released, I picked up a nearby axe and threatened to retaliate.

My husband then reported me to the courts and requested my eviction, saying I had tried to attack him. The matter was handled by the civil court, who ruled that they could not evict me and that, if my husband wanted to live with the young wife, then they should move.

He began threatening to kill me, saying he would not move away from his property because he was the male and head of the household. The court ruled that we share property but he then took it all, including the cattle.

I was advised by a ZWLA officer to apply for a protection order against my husband. I did not know about protection orders; women used to be beaten up and abused but with this assistance we are getting help. At court, I went back and forth and they were not so helpful. I spent three months seeking that protection order until I found a lawyer to assist with the drafting of papers.

My in-laws wanted to fight me after I applied for the protection order but I did not allow them to interfere. In my community, I was denied access to rations from organisations that give food to the poor and the elderly.

The ZWLA officer gave me confidence to be able to stand on my own in court and helped me to be able to explain my circumstance. My husband had gone to court saying that I had tried to attack him and ZWLA helped me to be able to explain to the court that this was self-defence as my husband had been beating me.

There are a lot of challenges women face in my community. There are some women who are always being beaten; one once had a broken rib. I advised her to also come to ZWLA.

I support organisations like ZWLA because men are now afraid to beat us. They have enlightened us as women. I feel comfortable when I’m with ZWLA and I feel relieved of my anger. As it stands now, I feel like I lost my time with my husband. He used me and I lost everything. But I now feel emancipated and empowered: I now know about my rights and I know I am empowered.”