Fokupers: Shelter and a future for even the youngest victims of domestic violence

Today we met with Fokupers, a Development and Peace partner that helps women escape domestic violence.

(Picture: staff of Fokupers)

This is a big problem in East Timor, although one that is not unique to this country. One part of Fokupers work has been advocating for a domestic violence law which is currently going through approvals in Parliament. When passed the law will ensure that police and courts know how to respond to domestic violence cases (what they call here "socializing" the law), and that women will have access to some state support if the breadwinner is removed from the family. There have been many different laws applied in the past, from the Australian (throw the perpetrator in jail) to the "Thai" or "Filipino" method (beat him up so he knows how it feels and return him to the home). The result is a great deal of confusion and the need for a law that protects those who have been abused.

Fokupers also runs a creche and a women's shelter in Dili. Six of us, all women, were able to visit the shelter, although asked not to take any photos. There we met women ranging in age from 16 to 45, who stay up to 8 months. Most were with their children, in fact, some children have been born in the Fokupers shelter. Fokupers helps with counselling and stress relief, and, where appropriate, with reintegrating families.

I was struck by the two youngest women, 16 and 17 years old, each of whom had a infant of 1 year. One of them looked only 13. Neither of their babies looked really healthy, but their mothers were taking good care of them. We found out later that both young women were victims of incest, and that their babies were the result.  They were still children themselves.

The youngest woman had been raped by her father; her mother also abused. She gave birth at home at 15. Members of the community got her to a shelter in another part of the country, but her father found her, so she was spirited away to this safe house in Dili. The workers told us that she could not relate to the child at first, and also that when she arrived at the Dili shelter she would not speak. The whole time we were there, the child was on her hip, and the workers tell us she now talks of a future for herself: of going to school. She cannot return to her family. Her father is still at home, and if she were to return there, he would kill her. He accuses her of bringing shame to the family. Meanwhile,  two younger sisters still live at home, but there is no law that allows them to be removed for their own safety.

Fokupers hopes to help her achieve her dream. In the past, two young women in similar situations were able to study at a school run by the nuns once their children were old enough. With enough funding, Fokupers can support young women like this through school.

The 17 -year-old girl had a child in exactly the same circumstances, but her father has left the home. Fokupers is helping her reconcile with her mother, and she may be able to return home in safety.

It was a sobering visit. Fokupers is hoping to have its Development and Peace funding restored so that it can continue to support women in these situations.I think we were all impressed by the brave work Fokupers does on a shoestring.