After being in an abusive relationship for 10 years and escaping death, a mother from Eerste River has published a book about her ordeal, in the hope of helping others in the same situation.
Edwina Goosen, 44, from Kleinvlei, says she started chronicling her life while she was in an abusive relationship with an ex-boyfriend.
Edwina says: “A lot of things happened, I almost lost my life. In the beginning, he was charming and treated me well, but after some time he changed.
“I would leave and he would get me on my way to work at the train station and tell me that he will determine when the relationship ends, I don’t have a say.”
“I was told that if I leave him, he will kill me, my kids or my parents. I have been numerous times to the police station and I started drinking to numb the pain. I started not trusting the police because my abuser would say he has mense there.”
Edwina says she used to walk around with blou oë, and even tried to commit suicide to escape her tormentor. She is now happily married, and has two grandchildren.
Her book called Geheime Storm maps out her journey of abuse and recovery, and was launched on Saturday at Hillcrest Hall in Blue Downs Avenue.
Edwina says: “People think you are aspris when you don’t leave an abusive relationship, but it is not that easy. I was threatened and told that if I leave, he will hurt my family.”
The book cost R280 and is available on Amazon.