Yulia, mume wake, na binti yao mdogo walikuwa wakiishi katika kijiji kidogo chenye ukimya nchini Ukraini. Yulia alipenda kuamshwa na sauti za ndege kila siku. Hakuwahi kufikiria kuwa angekuja kuishi mbali na nyumbani au kutoamshwa na sauti za ndege asubuhi.
Yulia, her husband, and their little daughter lived in a small, quiet village in Ukraine. Yulia loved being woken every morning by the sound of birds. She never thought she would live far away from home, or not be woken up by the sound of birds in the morning.
Mume wake, kwa upande mwingine, alikuwa akilalamika sana kuwa hana pesa ya kutosha na akaanza kunywa pombe vibaya. Wakaamua kujaribu bahati yao Ureno. Labda huko wangeweza kupata pesa zaidi za kujenga nyumba na wakaiandalia familia yao maisha mazuri ya baadaye.
Her husband was always complaining about not having enough money and he began drinking heavily. They decided to try their luck in Portugal. Maybe there they could earn more money to build a house and make a better future for their family.
Yulia alizoea vizuri makazi yake mapya na alianza kufanya kazi kama mfanyakazi wa usafi. Wateja wake walimpenda sana kwa jinsi alivyofanya kazi kwa bidii na heshima yake. Kwa upande mwingine, mume wake alijihisi anatengwa zaidi na zaidi. Kwa sababu ya tatizo lake la ulevi, waajiri hawakuwa na imani naye na hawakutaka kumpa kazi.
Yulia adapted well to her new home, and she started working as a cleaner. Her clients really appreciated her hard work and her polite attitude. Her husband, on the other hand, felt more and more left out. Because of his drinking problem, employers did not trust him and would not give him work.
Siku moja, alianza kumgombeza Yulia. Kisha, akaanza kumsukuma. Kelele na vipigo vikafikia hatua mbaya, hasa akiwa amelewa. Yulia aliogopa na aliingiwa na wasiwasi kuhusu binti yake lakini hakuwa na la kufanya.
One day he started yelling at Yulia. Then, he started pushing her. The shouting and beatings got worse, especially when he was drunk. Yulia was afraid for herself and her daughter, but she had no idea what she could do.
Hatimaye, wakati Yulia alilazimika kwenda kwenye chumba cha dharura akiwa amevunjika mkono, walimwambia kuwa unyanyasaji wa majumbani ni tatizo kubwa nchini Ureno. Pia walisema kwamba ilikuwa ni kosa na anapaswa kuripoti polisi.
When Yulia finally had to go to the emergency room in the hospital with a broken arm, they told her that domestic violence was a huge problem in Portugal. They also said that it was a crime and she should report it to the police.
Yulia alikuwa amechoka na hakutaka binti yake mdogo kukua katika mazingira ambayo anashuhudia unyanyasaji kila siku. Yulia alitambua kuwa viashiria vya unyanyasaji vilishakuwepo tangu kitambo hata kama vilikuwa vya namna tofauti.
Yulia was exhausted and did not want her little daughter to grow up in a home where she witnessed violence every day. Yulia realised that the signs of abuse had been there all along, even if it took many different forms.
Yulia akaenda katika makazi ya wanawake ambapo alijihisi salama kuliko alivyokuwa kwa muda mrefu. Hakuwahi kujisikia hivyo tangu alipoamshwa na sauti za ndege asubuhi.
Yulia went to a women’s shelter, where she felt safer than she had in a long time. She had not felt like that since she was woken up by the sound of birds in the morning.
