Maryknoll Lay Missioners - Abuse Victim Becomes Trained Advocate

Abuse Victim Becomes Trained Advocate

Missioner teaches Brazilian woman to end violence to herself and to others

MKLM missioner Kathy, left, works with Penha to develop community intervention plans that address domestic violence. As a student of Kathy’s prevention courses, Penha was able to break the cycle of abuse. With continued support from MKLM donors, more women victims could be saved.

Penha Ferreira is a survivor of domestic violence.

Every day, for five years, she suffered physical and emotional abuse perpetrated by her husband. Penha thought that the man she married was good. But soon after their marriage, he started telling her who she could visit, where she could go, what she could wear. When she did not “obey”, the abuse began.

An unemployed mother of two living in João Pessoa, in northeast Brazil, Penha felt trapped in her situation. But when her husband began to beat their daughter, she found the strength to leave..

Like so many places in the world, Brazil has staggering levels of domestic violence: a woman is beaten every 15 seconds. In 2008, in Paraíba, a small state of 3.3 million of which João Pessoa is the capital, 43 women were assassinated by their partners or ex-partners. For more than 12 years, MKLM missioner Kathy Bond has worked with Brazilian women to address and help stem this problem.

Kathy trains male and female students to be anti-domestic violence community leaders. Thank you to all the MKLM donors that help to sustain Kathy in mission.

Kathy met Penha through her participation in a domestic violence prevention course that Kathy teaches. The 25-hour course teaches 65 male and female students how to address cases of domestic violence in the community. The course trains would-be leaders to recognize signs of domestic violence and to refer victims to legal and social services offered by the city. Over the course of 8 weeks, participants learn about Brazil’s anti-domestic violence legislation and how they, as community leaders, can advocate for the full implementation of the law. The course is implemented in João Pessoa in the 3 neighborhoods with the highest number of incidences of domestic violence.

Because of her participation in the course, Penha became a community leader and municipal social worker helping other women.

Penha shares her experiences with fellow community leaders to help them better understand issues related to anti-domestic violence outreach. Without the support of MKLM donors, Penha would not have the skills training with which she is now equipped.

On the last day of the course, Penha said, “The anti-domestic violence law did not exist when I was abused but now it does and we as community leaders need to make sure everyone knows about it. The course gave me the tools to do that. We are now planning to organize events in our communities to pass out domestic violence prevention material and present street theater to raise awareness on the issue. We dream of one day having a core group of men and women community leaders that can multiply the training all over the city. I have to be an example for my teen-age kids so that they can learn that men and women need to be partners in relationships.”

Penha is a living testament to the fact that it is possible to break the cycle of domestic violence. This is very important in communities where many women suffer for years. Through her participation in MKLM’s awareness and education campaign, Penha has found healing from her difficult past and now helps other families that suffer from domestic violence and abuse.

Read more about Kathy and her ministry here.
Please consider donating to MKLM, the organization that keeps Kathy and other missioners like her in mission. All contributions are tax deductible.