Anne Marie Damons

I Anne – Marie Damons is 46 years old and live in Conville, George. I am a mother of three (3) and was abused by my husband. I grew up in abusive home where parents used to fight. When I was 12 years old my father got very sick and I had to leave school to help around households and look after my sick father. When I was 18 years old I met a man who eventually became my husband. Initially was supportive but he started using drugs, he had a drug addiction.

He got a job but was not helping with any money for the house. He was addicted to drugs and very rarely gave me any money so my kids and I just had to survive. I was struggling financially with the children. He was also spending the money on other women (he was having extra martial affairs) and also had a gambling addiction. At times I felt like leaving but because of my kids I contented to stay; I also put divorce proceedings in place.

I became a born again Christian and turned to the church of help. The Pastor talked with the husband, to stop with this addiction. My husband got sick in January 2015 because of his drug addiction and passed away. But then I met Maria Greeff and she invited me to the Gender Links workshops and Juliana did the training. Then I started learning again what the rights of women are and now I am busy helping others that are in similar situations (circumstances).

It helps to talk about what you are going through and it makes you feel better. But the less you talk the less you will feel that things are getting better. God has helped me but there was too much abuse but the children kept me strong and also sustained me.

I joined the training in 2013 and only attended the two courses. Before the training I was unemployed and I have a job now. The training helped me and although the council did not assist me in any way but Gender Links also helped me. My husband use to abuse me but I am no longer experiencing violence. I also know my rights now. Change came about in my family and my family feels good. I changed my life by giving my life to the Lord