一步一个脚印

Briefing

Susan, a Mandarin-speaking woman, has made an appointment with a support worker at the Women and Children Support Centre in Melbourne. She wishes to discuss issues she been facing with her husband at home.

Listen to Dialogue

Mandarin-English Dialogue #22 – Domestic Violence Support

Transcript and reference translation

Support Worker: Hi Susan, is it? Please take a seat. Oh, I see you’ve got a bun in the oven. How far along are you? [嗨，苏珊，是吧？请坐。哦，我能看出来你有了。你怀孕已经多久？]

Susan: 我怀孕五个月了。这是我第三个孩子。上周我才发现怀的是个女孩儿。[I’m five months pregnant. It’s my third child. I just found out last week it’s a girl.]

Support Worker: That’s fantastic. May I ask, are you married or do you have a partner? [那太好了。请问一下，你是已经结婚了还是有个伴侣？]

Susan: 我结婚了，是的，我嫁给了个澳洲男人。我们在一起14年了。您瞧，我医生建议我来见您，因为我的家庭一直存在些问题。我过去几周情况变得越来越糟了。现在我很担心我孩子们的安全。[I’m married, yes, to an Australian man. We’ve been together for 14 years. Look, my doctor recommended I see you because of the problems I’ve been having at home. Over the past few weeks it’s just been getting worse and worse. And now I fear for the safety of my children.]

Support Worker: I understand. Susan, does your husband ever physically hurt you? [我明白。苏珊，你的丈夫有没有打你？]

Susan: 时不时会这样。我们吵架时，他有时会把我绊倒或者扯我的头发。但夫妻床头吵架床尾和嘛，通常过几天就好了。[From time to time. When we get into a row he sometimes does things like tripping me over or pulling my hair. But arguments between couples don’t tend to last that long, you know. We’re usually OK after a few days.]

Support Worker: What about the kids? Has your husband ever been violent towards them? [你的孩子呢？你的丈夫有没有对他们很暴力？]

Susan: 我家的两个男孩一个13岁一个8岁。他们不听话的时候，我丈夫会打他们耳光。通常他会用皮带或着木勺子打他们屁股。[My two boys are 13 and 8. My husband slaps them on the face when they step out of line. Usually he whacks them on the backside with his belt or a wooden spoon.]

Support Worker: OK. And has he made any threats towards you? [好的。他有没有威胁过你？]

Susan: 是的，他跟我玩心理游戏，这一点是我最受不了的。[Yes. I can’t stand it when he plays mind games with me.]

Support Worker: Mind games, you say. Could you elaborate on that? [你说心理游戏哦。你可以说具体一些吗？]

Susan: 有一次，他知道我去社区中心学陶艺课，他竟然把我所有的化妆品和衣服都扔到了卧室地上。他不喜欢我出门，除非我去杂货店或送孩子上学。[One time, when he found out that I had been learning pottery at a local community centre, he threw all my makeup and clothing all over the bedroom floor. He doesn’t like me going out of the house unless it’s for groceries or taking the kids to school.]

(…)

有时候他从酒吧喝醉酒回来，威胁说要把孩子们带走。他说我一文不值，没人会爱我，还说我是个很差劲的母亲。[Sometimes he comes home from the pub drunk and threatened to take the children away. He said I’m worthless, that no one loves me and that I’m a terrible mother.]

Support Worker: Let me first say that you are not worthless and that no one deserves to be treated like this. There is no excuse for violence against women. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home. If we work together, we can find a way to protect both you and the children. [我首先要说，你不是一文不值，而且没有人应该受到这种待遇。对女性暴力是没有任何借口的。每个人在家里都有权利感到安全。如果我们一起努力的话，我们可以想办法保护你和你的孩子。]

Susan: 我觉得我很傻，我当初真不该认识他。这么多年我一直想申请保护令，但是因为害怕我丈夫所以我就没这么做。我真是太懦弱了。[I feel so stupid. I regret the day I ever met him. Over the years I’ve considered applying for a protection order, but I didn’t do it out of fear of my husband. I’m such a coward.]

Support Worker: You’re not a coward, Susan. Anyone in your situation would feel the same. But you’ve taken a positive step by coming to see me today. Can you tell me, Susan, have you ever suffered from depression or anxiety? [你不是懦弱，苏珊。任何人在你的情况下都会有同样的感受。但是你今天来这里见我就是迈出了积极的一步。你可以告诉我，苏珊，你患过抑郁症或是焦虑症吗？]

Susan: 有时我觉得活着没意思。我甚至还考虑过自杀。但我一想到我再也见不到我的孩子们了我就改变了主意。他们让我的生命有了光彩，没有他们我什么都不是。[Sometimes I feel like life’s not worth living. I’ve even considered suicide. But when I think about not being able to see my kids anymore I change my mind. They light up my life and I’m nothing without them.]

Support Worker: Look, Susan, I’ve been a counsellor here at the Women and Children Support Centre for over 10 years, and during that time I’ve met many women in similar situations as yours. For most women who don’t apply for an intervention order, the situation gets worse and the consequences can be serious. [你瞧，苏珊，我在妇女和儿童协助中心做心理咨询已经超过10年了。在这个期间里，我认识了很多女性跟你的情况很相似。对于大部分没有申请干涉令的女性而言，情况会越来越糟，而且有时候后果很严重。]

Susan: 我知道了，我之前读过干涉令的一些信息。但是如果我要申请的话，我和孩子去哪住呢？我在墨尔本没有亲人。而且现在我所有的朋友都不来找我了，就是因为我老公的原因。[I know. I’ve read some information about intervention orders. But if I do apply for one, where are my children and I supposed to live? I’ve got no relatives in Melbourne, and none of my friends come to see me anymore because of my husband.]

Support Worker: There are refuges available that provide safe accomodation for people in this situation. The workers there could give you practical and emotional support. [有一些避难所给在这种情况下的人提供安全的住宿。那儿的工作人员可以给你一些实用的和情感上的帮助。]

(…)

I’m not saying it’s an easy process. But the most imporant thing is that you have a support network here for you. You are not alone in this. [我不是说这个过程很容易。但是最重要的是有一个可以支持你的网络。你不是孤身一人。]