The Women

My room at the refuge was light and airy. It had two single beds in it and a cot. I was informed that if someone came with children I may have to move. Which I thought was fair enough. However I grew to love my room. My sanctuary, my one place of quiet, an escape from everyone elses pain.

There were four other women resident when I arrived.

One woman was from Sri Lanka. She had worked in a clerical position out there for the government. One night she was dragged from her bed and taken to a cell where she was tortured and gang raped for 2 days and nights. She fled to Denmark with her daughter and had a complete breakdown. When she recovered enough to cope with life a little she was offered work in England by a relative so she travelled here on her own to start work. But she was then beaten by her uncle and ended up in the refuge.

She was such a lovely, beautiful and funny lady. Terrified of the dark, frightened of her own shadow, yet she made me laugh my head off when she shouted at the television when people didn't know the answers on quiz shows. One night we got tiddly and danced and giggled into the early hours. She always called me sexy Sue and was a really warm and wonderful person. She was learning English language at A level at Evening class and I would often help her with her homework. She was so cheeky and I often ended up doing it for her altogether and wondered how she had managed to get round me. She moved out a few months ago now and I miss her very much.