Heather* grew up in a small community in the Cuyuni-Mazaruni Region of Guyana (Region Seven). She and her siblings enjoyed a mostly happy childhood, but there were times when she recalls seeing her mother abused by her father. "Sometimes, I would get away from home after seeing this because I was so traumatized," Heather says.
Heather's experience with domestic violence extended beyond the home; Heather recalls having a close encounter with a male relative who tried to force himself on her. She also witnessed other women in her community being abused by their male partners. These memories from her childhood and adolescence stayed with her, and she often wondered how many women were suffering in silence.