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Lenten stories

Week 3 — East Timor

Domingas' story

Domingas, 29, lives in Oecusse, an isolated enclave on the west coast of East Timor. After surviving a serious assault in 2005 she was referred to PRADET, one of Caritas Australia’s local partners in the Family and Community Violence Prevention Program.

In East Timor, like many countries, women are often the target of sexual violence and physical abuse. Lack of accommodation and economic independence, fear of speaking out and strong patriarchal traditions are some of the complex reasons behind this. Caritas Australia is working with 10 East Timorese organisations to build a strong network that collaborates to reduce gender based violence across the country.

The program works with both men and women to promote women’s dignity, sharing information to reduce gender based violence, providing psycho­social support and safe houses, and increasing access to social justice and rehabilitation for those that have experienced such incidents.

Caritas Australia supported PRADET (Psychological Recuperation and Development in East Timor) to establish a ‘safe place’ at Dili Hospital where women can come for support and share their experiences.

“After the assault I could not talk to anyone and was very afraid”, Domingas recalls. “I was taken to spend two weeks at the safe place for medical treatment and counselling. There I received clothes, soap, toothpaste, and money for food and other essential items.” The local staff from PRADET and Caritas Australia’s partner Forum for the Support of Women in Oecusse (FPWO) also supported Domingas to access the justice system by accompanying her to report the case to police and the Provedoria for Human Rights and Justice who began an investigation.

Staff supported Domingas through her recovery in Dili and accompanied her on the difficult journey to back to her village. “It was hard when I first came back to Oecusse. People didn’t accept me because of cultural taboos”, Domingas recalls. But with the help of Caritas Australia’s partners in Oecusse, slowly the community began to accept and speak to her again.

When she returned to Oecusse, Domingas had no means of supporting herself and her family. Caritas provided her with a small grant of $350 to expand the family’s small kiosk, run from their home. As Domingas explains, “I had become the only income earner in the family. We used to have a very small kiosk and only a little income – with the grant I’ve increased the size of our kiosk and we now sell things like noodles, snacks and small goods that the neighbourhood needs.”

With her own small business, Domingas now keeps busy and lives a normal life – she feels she has her dignity. “My condition is now much better, I’m 99% recovered,” Domingas said. “People and NGOs have given attention to my problems and my family has received me again. I can earn $8 a day and can save some money for my future.”

“The support has helped me to share my story – when I do, other women have recognised they are also survivors and have come for help. I help promote the work of the safe house in Oecusse. I am not afraid to talk to men now. I talk to many people, including local leaders, about my condition and how my life has changed for the better,” Domingas explains.

As well as working intensively with individuals who need support to recover, Caritas Australia is working with whole communities to reduce violence through village training sessions and discussion groups. The program is empowering women to talk and speak out about their experiences, supporting them to recover and approach their future with hope. Domingas’ story is just one example of what is an essential step towards upholding the dignity of women.

As John Paul II said: “The Church desires for her part to contribute to upholding the dignity, role and rights of women.”

How you can help
Your donation to Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion helps empower women and achieve gender equality in more than 30 countries around the world.