Victim :- Aquarius, Perpetrator :- Libra
Key words: [Sexual abuse] [Economic abuse] [Emotional and psychological abuse] [Cultural abuse] [Following, harassing and monitoring] [Social abuse] [Risk] [Women] [People from CALD backgrounds] [Victim experience of court processes] [Protection order]
Aquarius was born overseas and English is her second language. She met Libra after coming to Australia on a student visa. She was working to support herself; and studying to improve her English skills and have her foreign professional qualifications recognised. Libra had a responsible job. Neither had been married or in a long-term relationship. They soon started living together as a couple, and Aquarius applied for a partner visa with Libra as her sponsor. They registered their defacto relationship and separated after nearly twelve months. There are no children.
Early on in the relationship, Libra urged Aquarius to get a different job that didn’t involve night and weekend shifts so that she could be home to take care of the cooking and house, and available to go on short breaks and holidays with Libra. Aquarius however enjoyed her job and was happy to work hard for good pay. Libra kept insisting until one day when Aquarius was leaving for work, he hid the car keys. Eventually, he gave her the keys, but told her it was ‘the last time’ he would allow it. Libra tried, and failed, to find Aquariys a full-time weekday job for higher pay, so she was forced to give up her shift work and become a ‘housewife’ to Libra. While bored and frustrated at home, she applied for countless positions without success. Libra pushed her to apply for roles that she had not yet qualified for; she resisted.
Libra took more and more control of their daily lives. He scheduled weekends away according to a strict timetable that didn’t suit Aquarius; he took her on long car trips that Aquarius found unpleasant, and wouldn’t allow her to listen to the music she likes; and he chose destinations that she didn’t enjoy. Aquarius would not tolerate being dictated to, and they argued frequently. Often, Libra reminded her that he controlled her visa, and threatened to write to the immigration authority withdrawing his sponsorship. Libra had all of Aquarius’ immigration documents and details in his possession.
In time, Aquarius got another shift job that she was reasonably content with. Libra was angry because she was earning less money and he complained that her English was getting worse. Libra demanded that Aquarius transfer all of her wages to him, and he would then put an amount each week in a joint account that she could access to pay for groceries and household expenses. Again, Aquarius questioned these demands asserting that she was happy to share, but was also entitled to her own money to buy, for example, gifts for him. Libra never deposited enough money in the joint account, and Aquarius had to regularly ask for more, which she found humiliating. Meanwhile, Libra was free to spend his wage and the balance of Aquarius' wage as he pleased.
Aquarius was made responsible for cooking and household duties while also working and studying. He criticised and belittled her efforts around the house. He bought her clothes that she felt were age inappropriate and uncomfortable. Sex occurred on Libra's terms without any regard for Aquarius’ wishes. He told her she was required to sleep with him as a condition of the visa, and if she didn’t, he would report her. He also told Aquarius that Australian women manipulated men so they could have children, and acquire the majority share of income and assets before divorcing them. Aquarius concluded that Libra had pursued her because he believed he could take advantage of her visa dependency.
When they first met, Libra spoke to Aquarius of his many friends; however, the only person they ever saw was Libra's mother. Libra refused invitations for them to spend time with some of Aquarius’ close family members who lived nearby. He monitored her phone and internet activity. Libra objected to Aquarius speaking her first language. On one occasion when she was on the phone to a family member in her home country, Libra wielded a knife demanding that she end the conversation and cook dinner. Aquarius was aware that Libra also kept rifles at home.
Aquarius was becoming increasingly isolated, demeaned and depressed by Libra's abuse. She started working more to get away from him. Libra then set up a whiteboard in the kitchen recording her rosters; he would ring and text her repeatedly at work demanding to know her shift times. Aquarius says she felt like a slave: working long hours, being constantly monitored, and relinquishing her wages.
The situation became intolerable for Aquarius and she left to stay with a friend. A family member encouraged her to get some advice from the support service at the local Magistrates’ Court. She was referred to other services that helped her with her visa application and recommended she apply for a protection order. She also started seeing a psychologist as her emotional health and confidence had deteriorated markedly.
After separation, Libra went to Aquarius’ workplace and spoke with her employer more than once, embarrassing Aquarius. He followed her; and Aquarius believes he broke into her relatives’ home and stole goods. Libra went to Aquarius’ home and took photos of her and the car licence plate. It was at that point that she rang the police, and then proceeded to obtain a temporary protection order. Police advised her that Libra had tried to avoid service. On the hearing date she felt pressured to accept a two-year undertaking for Libra to be of good behaviour towards her. Libra's lawyer told her it would be sufficient, and that a protection order wasn’t necessary. She therefore offered an undertaking and Libra's lawyer agreed to it on behalf of Libra on the basis that she provide a reciprocal undertaking. Aquarius felt humiliated by this tactic; she refused to provide the undertaking and insisted that the matter be heard. Libra gave the undertaking and the matter was dismissed. She felt the Magistrate was understanding of her circumstances and could see that Libra was an untruthful opportunist.
Libra has made no contact with Aquarius since the court date.
Aquarius left the relationship with only her clothes and personal possessions. She is entitled to be reimbursed the wages she earned and to retrieve furniture she purchased, however she would rather forgo her rights than have any further involvement with Libra. Aquarius is on medication to cope with the depression she has suffered as a consequence of Libra’s abuse. She is trying hard to re-establish her family and social networks, and to complete her studies.
