*CEYLAN HASSAN
-“He hit me and he hit me hard…” my ears were ringing as all I could take in was the word hit..
Who hit her? When? Why? And how dare he?!!
I tried to listen on as she continued… “I arrived home from work that evening and dinner was prepared from the day before, yogurt soup, fresh beans stew, rice and salad. I made the rice while waiting for him to arrive, he got back home a little later than me so this gave me enough time to prepare..”
My hands are shaking as I’m not sure what’s going to come next as her lips begin to quiver and her eyes fill with tears.
“Everything was fine, he came home, we hugged, shared a kiss and he asked what was for dinner, as I responded, I heard a groan and annoyance in his voice.. Then there it was the sizzling coming from the pot on the cooker, the rice, dammit! But I caught just in the nick of time and before it burnt, only a little bit overcooked, not to worry I thought he won’t mind as I dished up dinner while he changed upstairs.. I wish I prepared for the worst.”
“I sat at the table waiting for him to come down so we could eat dinner together, he poured our drinks and then took a spoonful of rice. His face changed and clenched his fist. I tried to ignore it, but then he got up and started shouting at me. “You’re good for nothing you are, you don’t clean, all you do is go to work and then complain your tired and then you overcook dinner too..”
She’s crying now and I reach out holding her hand to let her know it’s okay to take a minute and then carry on.
“Where an earth had this come from? We’d had arguments before and he’d hit me once before but it didn’t really hurt, but now I wasn’t sure what to expect.. Then I felt his hand grab my hair and pull, “Stop it please you’re hurting me” I said as I struggled to break free. All of a sudden I felt my cheek throb and found myself on the kitchen floor, he punched me so hard that I fell off the chair. I thought my jaw had broke.”
I’m crying too now as I hold her hand tighter and bite my bottom lip.
“He hit me and hit me hard, I couldn’t go into work for a week, but that evening I packed all his things then went to the police. I wasn’t going to put up with his abuse, any of it. I can’t really recall any more of what happened that night, there was too much verbal abuse and shouting for me to remember, I’m kind of glad in way. I was lucky enough to get out but I know thousands if not millions of women or maybe even men aren’t. Please make our voices heard, we are women not punchbags and none of us deserved to be hit, no matter what the reason is..”
The experience you just read fortunately wasn’t an experience I went through or heard from somebody, but unfortunately somewhere it’s real and happening as I write and as you read.
A woman is the most precious gift you receive from God, she is your mother, your sister, your wife and your daughter and most of all she is the only person who will look after you and lift you back up and not kick you when you’ve fallen. She is only one in your eyes and this shouldn’t change, ever. Please appreciate her and stand up for violence against women, because one day when you lose her, you’ll be sorry it’s too late.
