Domestic Abuse Victim's Powerful Advice: Don't Stay For The Children
16 December 2017, 09:43
Hannah's partner convinced her to move abroad, where she became isolated, before beating her in front of their daughter.
A police force has faced criticism for social media posts that appeared to support domestic abuse victims staying with their partners.
Essex Police posted a case study on Facebook about "Sheila", a 65-year-old woman in an abusive relationship.
"She knew that the abuse in her relationship was wrong but also knew that she wouldn't leave," it said.
"With help and support from specialist organisations and agencies, Sheila and her husband stayed together, but safely."
The post is part of the 55+ Safety Net campaign, which aims to help older victims of domestic abuse.
However, it came in for criticism and Essex Police apologised for the "clumsy language" of the post.
One Facebook user wrote "first time I've heard people being helped to stay in an abusive relationship", another said "such a load of rubbish, if it is abusive there is only one answer, get out now."
Hannah called Andrew Castle as he was discussing this story.
She detailed how she had fallen in love with a man, before moving to a different country to live with him.
Her partner became abusive, eventually beating Hannah in front of their child. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder but refused to believe the diagnosing consultant and accused him of lying.
His family disowned their daughter because of her affiliation with Hannah, who lived isolated in the countryside but was refused access to the a car.
She fled to a woman's refuge, before making her way back to the UK and another refuge. Her local council helped place the mother and daughter, who is now 19-months-old, in a house.
Hannah had one piece of advice: "There's light at the end of the tunnel. Don't stay for the children because you will ultimately hurt them in the long run and yourself. You are what is important, please go and see somebody, anybody. See them and say, this is what is happening."
Watch the moving interview at the top of this page.
