Gita's Story​

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Gita had suffered a significant amount of emotional and financial abuse throughout her marriage.

 

Gita came from Eastern Europe and married Dan in 2010. They had a son named Simon, in 2012. Dan made it difficult for Gita to work, so she had very little independence. Dan said that if Gita did go to work, he would want her to apply for a loan in her name. Because she did not agree to this, Dan accused Gita of affecting his benefits and he threatened to report her so she was deported and told her she would lose all contact with her son.

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Gita contacted NDAS and was immediately able to access refuge accommodation for herself and her son. She benefited from much needed breathing space and the support she needed to submit paperwork to the Home Office. Dan responded by taking Gita to court and as she had no evidence of domestic abuse, the judge awarded shared custody of Simon.

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NDAS was able to provide practical and emotional support for Gita to access legal aid and the solicitor she needed for the family court case, which would assess her situation to finalise living arrangements for her son.

 

Things moved quickly for Gita, and she finds herself in a much more positive place now. She is now back at work and living independently in her own flat. She’s currently waiting for her immigration status to be secured which NDAS are still supporting her with.