Monday, June 18, 2012

A Return to/from Obscurity

Hi all,

I'm sure you've been sincerely missing the lack of blog posts the past few months. Let me tell you, you weren't missing out on much. University, working as a waitress, volunteering in the Family Court. Nothing too exciting.

However, for the next month my life should become a bit more exciting. I'm interning for the North Australian Aboriginal Family Violence Legal Service. I'm starting off in Darwin for this week getting to know the organisation and doing some cultural awareness training. Then next week and until the middle of July, I'll be in Katherine (halfway between Darwin and Alice Springs) servicing the various remote communities in the area.

Last night I arrived in Darwin (after a nauseating flight, connection and then another flight). I was picked up by a lawyer for NAAFVLS. I'm staying at her house. That night I went down to some markets by the beach. I watched the sun set (beautiful) listened to a heap of indigenous bands and watched some aboriginal dancers (strangely dancing like Beyonce circa 'crazy in love'). I also got some great dahl and rice (praise be to vegetarian Indians!).

Today, I went into the office and had some training. I shadowed one of the social workers for most of the day, visiting clients and developing community education presentations.

Already I've seen some less-than-pleasant things. The first client we visited was staying at a women's shelter. It was this enormous complex of women and their many very young children living in fibro/corrugated iron cabins surrounded by barbed wire and security gates. The women were cut and bandaged and limping. What was most shocking was how large the complex was. Hundreds of people must be living there.

Later we went to visit a homeless Aborigines' hostel. Our client there had been stabbed in the head a number of times by her husband - who is now in prison - and has a hip to ankle cast from having her multiple breaks/fractures along her whole leg from a beating by her brother-in-law. The hostel was this large grey concrete institution with 4 people to a room, no privacy or safe places to keep your belongings. The place was very dirty with used nappies lying around the place.

I later learned that this woman's abusive husband was her Promise Husband. She comes from a remote community where when she was very young, or even before she was born she was promised as a wife to another community member, probably much older than her. When he demanded it she was given to live with him as his wife, no matter that she was very young (sometimes these girls can be as young at 6 or 7). She has said now that she doesn't want to return to him or to that life.

I suppose that this is only the very beginning. Apart from working in Katherine, I've been told that I will also get to visit the remote communities following the travelling courts so I can help with drafting and filing of court documents and applications.

I suppose that I'm enthusiastic and exited even if I'm also a bit apprehensive for what I will have to deal with.

Until next time,

Ms.B

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