Following the death of the Lagos-based banker, Ronke Shonde, who was allegedly killed by her husband, Lekan, a woman identified only as Esther, a 27-year-old victim of domestic violence has spoken out.
Esther told Channels TV on Tuesday that she had been a victim of domestic violence for the past seven years but held on to her marriage because she had nowhere else to go.
She revealed how she was impregnated at 18 due to the hostility in her by her stepfather.
She said after the birth of her child, the father of her child began abusing and beating her.
”My problems began after my mother remarried 10 years after my father died,” She said.
“My step father does not want to see me. He hates me and my kid brother with a passion. He keenly shows me hatred to the extent that whenever he is at home, I can’t go into the house, I hang around, and I will not even be able to sleep in the house.
“Owing to this treatment from my stepfather, I had to leave his house since the condition there was unbearable and I got into a relationship with a man and my life became a living hell.
“I have no access to anything in the house; when he wants to go out, he will disconnect the wires and lock up the refrigerator. He denies my basic needs by locking up vital items in the house while he went to work.
“When he is at home, I can’t come out to his presence, I can’t sit on the bed or chair unless he asks me to. He would always say I didn’t come to his house with chair so I can’t sit on it.
“I became pregnant for him at 18 and safely put to birth.
“My baby was 9 days old when my husband started sleeping with me. I will complain of pains and he would not care. He will shout at me, tie up my hands and legs to have sex with me daily.
“I endured all these because I had nowhere to go. I was there until I had 2 children for him despite the torture.
“After 2 more children and 3 abortions, I knew I had to move on with my life, else I will die in that house.
“I left the relationship after 7 years,” She narrated.
Esther and her children currently reside in the Ijora area of the state with her mother.
Esther advised abused women to speak out as soon as possible, adding that the only way to break free from the abuse was to break the bond of silence.
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