“There was lots of abuse prior to the accident, totally physical, the majority physical, some mental. When I was still walking, he used to put his (tears) the thought of another human being that can do that. He is father to five of my children. He was really abusive he used to beat the heck out of me, he used to put his knee on the back of my scapula and broke it. He used to like, when he drinks alcohol, he would come back and abuse me and accuse me of this and that. That was the pattern. I hated the Saturday night. I hated the Saturday night. Always, he was a big league Star, he played rugby league for the Bay of Plenty and represented New Zealand and then he just about made it to the Warriors, but he didn’t quite because of what he was doing.”
– Roberta, Māori – Aotearoa New Zealand, 2017
“Never ever in my life had I been treated like that or disrespected like that in any way shape or form till then. He was a very possessive, jealous man, I couldn’t even go to the shop without him, without him thinking stupid or without him being by my side. I would be black and blue every week from beatings.
He demanded I come home when I was helping a friend care for their sick child. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. I was trying my hardest to keep my eyes open. I didn’t see lights of a car I heard the wheels screeching in my ears like as if I heard … like that and then by then .. BOOM. It’s over. The police said to me that I shouldn’t have survived it for a start, I shouldn’t have survived the accident. He took advantage of the situation and yell and scream and abuse me and want to give me a hiding in my hospital bed. He got banned and then the children ended up going to Child Youth and Family. I was still strong and I fought for them you know and the children stayed with me.
My focus is my children, I keep them in front of my face, as long as I have them in front of me and the lord, that is my direction, it keeps me on track.
I think it is what I am made up of. My makeup gives me my strength; I was born that way. It’s in the DNA. It’s all written in the DNA.”
– Roberta New Zealand 2017