I have been enduring a violation of my human rights for 10 years

keskiviikko 6. huhtikuuta 2016

I have been enduring a violation of my human rights for 10 years

If I don’t do as they say they threaten to take the kids away. Even my lawyer says I should shut up … and that I can’t fight the system.

Julia*, RomaniaLippu

I have been enduring a violation of my human rights for 10 years. When I came to Finland my ex-husband began to be physically violent. In 2007 my children and I had to be taken to a halfway house.

I couldn’t understand Finnish at the time and I had no translator and didn’t know what was being said. In 2010 he attempted to kill us and police would not investigate the case. When I moved out he used the child protection system against me. I didn’t have translation services and only my ex-husband’s words were recorded.

In 2015 a local judge gave the father full custody without consulting me, without proof or process. So a bailiff and child protection worker came to my home and tried to take the children. I was physically abused in the process. The kids were placed in foster care and then given to their father. Some months later the children were taken from their father and placed in care.

When the father threatened the children the workers refused to allow him to visit them. Because of my profession I was ordered to pay a 15,000-euro penalty because he was not allowed to see the children. I have appealed the custody decision twice but I have been turned down without explanation.

I have now had the kids since December and am being forced to meet with social workers three times a week for 1.5 hours. I have always taken good care of the kids; the school and friends can confirm this. No one wants to listen to them. They have no respect for working people or family life or the children. I don’t have any control. If I don’t do as they say they threaten to take the kids away. Even my lawyer says I should shut up or everyone will be against me and that I can’t fight the system.