From violence to disability: Maria’s story, for whom home became an unsafe place

Every morning and afternoon, they walk the same route to school. For anyone else, it would be a five-minute walk. Maria does it in fifteen — and she’s proud of that. She has taught her body to keep up.

Her grade I mobility disability appeared after years of domestic violence. Her ex-husband used to hit her constantly. One day, a punch to the head changed everything. 

“After the blow to my head, my legs started to give way,” she says slowly, searching for the right words. “At first, he seemed like a good person. I was 17 and fell in love. Who could have known I’d end up here?” adds Maria*, her eyes glistening.

She went to several doctors, searching for answers. Initially, she was granted a disability status for three years. After more thorough investigations, specialists determined that the trauma was permanent and awarded her lifelong disability.

In the Republic of Moldova, 6.7% of people live with a disability. Studies show that women with disabilities are even more exposed to domestic violence and sexual assault than those without disabilities.

A Past That Haunts

Her ex-husband continues to harass her. He comes by, dotes on their child, tries to convince her to give up her rights. Maria does not give in. “Let him wait. I will heal. It will get better,” she says with a firm calm that leaves no room for doubt.

Her greatest support was her grandmother—the woman who stood in as both mother and father. She secretly sent Maria money, gave her shelter when she fled her ex-husband’s beatings, and encouraged her to keep going. When her grandmother passed away, Maria returned with her daughter to the house she had left as a bride. The house now belongs to her uncle. In summer, they can use all the rooms. In winter, only one—the only heated one. 

“Sometimes (the uncle) kicks me out. He says he wants his personal life,” Maria says, folding her hands in her lap.

Maria’s Refuge

In the middle of the yard of the Vulcănești district hospital, among wet, mud-heavy paths, in a modest and sober building that gives no hint of the warmth and peace it offers, stands the “Sfânta Ana” center.

In Vulcănești, the center is coordinated by Vasilisa Velicsar, a social worker and administrator of the “Sfânta Ana” Center. Vasilisa clearly remembers the day she learned Maria’s story: “I knew her grandmother and their whole family. I didn’t know anything about the girl, she had been living in another town. I was shocked when I found out what she had gone through.”

UNFPA and the Homecare Association, with the support of the UK Government, are implementing the pilot program “CareSafe: At Home, in Safety” here. The program provides women and girls with reduced mobility a safe environment and access to essential services. As part of the initiative, nurses and social workers visit women with disabilities, including refugees, at home to provide care and protection.

Maria came to “Sfânta Ana” on the recommendation of her family doctor. Here, she receives medical treatments, massage, and electrotherapy. She also receives counseling and social support. Sometimes she comes with her daughter, who finds a quiet corner to draw while her mother undergoes treatment.

Vasilisa knows everyone who comes through the center’s doors. “Some come to us directly. For others, it’s harder, so they call us. Then we go to them. We check if they are okay, if they need anything,” she explains.

For Maria, and for many other women whose stories have yet to be told, these spaces are more than just centers. They are places where life can begin again, where they are no longer alone and can dream of a peaceful future.

“This space provides safety. Women need a place to come, to talk, to be heard. Sometimes, just to rest,” Vasilisa emphasizes.

Maria* dreams of having her own home, where she and her daughter can feel safe and at peace. 

“What I want most is to heal,” she says, “and I believe everything else will fall into place.”

*The protagonist’s name has been changed to protect her privacy.