Our respondent, a victim of violence, is a 28-year-old woman who grew up in an orphanage amid physical and psychological abuse. At the age of 13, she got pregnant by a minor. A 14-year-old, a child herself, was left on the street with a newborn baby.

After living outdoors and surviving by begging on the street, she studied and chose social work as a profession. Years passed and she became a victim of violence again.

In this article, we will introduce you to Nina, who was left alone by all state systems — when she lost her family and ended up on the street; Even when he was a victim of violence in the orphanage; When a minor gave birth to a child and ended up on the street, and when an adult was raped by her partner. Nina received support from only a few people and the human rights organization Sapari.

The respondent’s name has been changed because she wanted to speak anonymously to protect her son’s interests.

Child with a Child

Nina was abandoned by her parents at an early age. She has childhood memories from the age of 5. She remembers poverty and her grandmother who raised her. She was 7 years old when her grandmother became bedridden and Nina began to take care of her. After the death of her grandmother, she was completely alone.

My story is different from everyone else’s. I grew up on the street. Then I got to the orphanage from the street and when I got there, I got pregnant.

Nina says that her son’s father was also a beneficiary of the orphanage. According to her, a 16-year-old boy three years older stood by her as much as possible. Unfortunately, she did not receive support at the orphanage, where no one met her pregnancy with appropriate advice. On the contrary, they were forced to leave.

“When they found out about my pregnancy, they were like, ‘wow, what should we do now?’ Maybe you should go back to the street from here.” In fact, I would say to a pregnant child, because I was really a 13-year-old child… The directorate said: “Maybe you should go to the street again, because we cannot shelter you here.” However, at that time, I was pregnant here, in the orphanage. They were saying, what should we do, how should we add your age, how much age should we write up so that we can insure ourselves”.

She describes the period of stay in the orphanage as difficult. She talks about sexual, physical and psychological abuse of children, constant lack of food and being sent to beg for mercy.

“We even had educators who didn’t care, they drank at night. If we asked for food, which we missed, they would harass us and beat us.

At that time, the situation in the orphanage was very bad. As violence, psychological, physical. It was a disaster, I want to say that. At what moment what would happen, you did not know. Who would come when, at what minute you would be a victim of violence.

Children were victims of sexual violence on the street and sometimes by their parents. When you were beautiful, there were security guards, guardians, some women and men…. There was violence, sexual harassment.”

Tamuna Gegidze / Aprili Media

She left the orphanage with her son’s father. She says that she worked in different places, but often they did not have money for food.

“He ended up in prison because of food. There were some little stores then. He stole pasta, bread and something. He was caught, put in prison and sentenced to 3 years. In fact, I was left alone again. In short, it was a difficult period. In fact, I didn’t have a childhood.”

Left alone on the street with her child, she was sheltered by an unknown woman who helped other children as well. She says that at that time she received support from several other people who helped her register with the doctor. She gave birth to the child by caesarean section, because childbirth was dangerous for her.

I turned 14 and had a baby. I was a child myself, but I was aware and my dream was that my child would not be on the street and, most importantly, homeless… I don’t like the word “homeless”, homeless in an orphanage.

Nina lived in that house with her son and decided to start working. She was employed as a waiter in one of the restaurants for a while, but since she was a minor, they hired someone else instead and gave him her salary.

“A child needs many things, you know – diapers, food, etc. It was also at this moment that I sold toilet paper, handkerchiefs, chupa-chups on the street. I tried everything.”

Then she found herself  on the street with her son. She begged to buy food for the child and looked for safe spaces where they could endure the bad weather.

She wanted to study, which was connected with many obstacles, but with the help of the principal, she was able to go to school. She remembers that she was not in a safe space there and was repeatedly bullied.

“I didn’t accept kids making fun of me for wearing torn pants. I just wanted to go to school. A social worker could freely be involved in this, even a psychologist was supposed to work with me, but believe me, nothing. They rarely did it to show off.”

Nina continued her studies in college, but then decided to do social work. In order to get a diploma, the 9th grade certificate was not enough, so she finished school.

Then I myself became a teacher in one of the children’s homes. I already knew exactly what I had to do. First of all, the approach is important and I knew what those children wanted. They were always happy when I went. Of course, I wouldn’t have behaved like that if I had been exposed.

She says that even today there are many gaps in shelters, centers, foster care programs and children’s interests are not taken into account. She recalls how difficult the pandemic period was for the beneficiaries in the shelter and talks about the need for changes.

Violence and System Inaction

In the summer of 2024, Nina was alone at home with her male friend when she became a victim of violence. Beaten and frightened, she had to stay at home until the abuser fell asleep so she could escape.

I had a partner and there was violence. I became a victim of violence. No, I was already a victim of violence in my childhood and I haven’t lost it even now.

In addition to physical violence, the man threatened that she would never see her son again. [Aprili Media insert: The abuser was not the child’s father]

“I couldn’t sneak out of the room, the house, until he consumed marijuana and fell asleep. I ran barefoot and immediately called 112. He called me when the patrol and ambulance were with me. He was arrested at the spot.”

Nina was taken for questioning. She says that dozens of photos were taken showing the injuries on her body, but then these photos disappeared. The investigation was started under the charge of violence, however, the victim woman did not receive sufficient response from the state and decided to turn to the organization Sapari.

“I had physical injuries, my hair was burnt, I also had a cigarette burn.

I was on examination. I remember exactly that I was sitting and a lot of the crew were looking at me, taking pictures of me, as it happens. I explained that I have a cigarette burn and my hair was also burnt. Then we needed photos, but…”

Tamuna Gegidze / Aprili Media

The Role of Human Rights Defenders

“I had contact with Sapari before, I knew from my friends that they help women like us. I had no choice but to turn to Sapari. Really, though. Here’s what else I know. I didn’t even have the finances for a lawyer, I really didn’t. It’s really good that there is Sapari” — Nina recalls that she felt support in the organization, which was very important for her.

“As soon as I went, they reassured me, we are by your side, we were and we will always be. I told the lawyer all this and the lawyer immediately took over my case, I will help you in everything, I will do everything, don’t worry, calm down.

Nino Andriashvili, a human rights defender, is working on Nina’s case. The lawyer explains that the woman was not given the status of a victim and there was no important evidence in the case.

“Our involvement became necessary after the beneficiary told us that the investigation was not going well. What happened next was that the partner physically assaulted her, kicked her in the stomach, threw a lit cigarette on her chest, burned her and burned her hair with a lighter. After that, the man consumed a drug.

Although she had injuries and these were captured in photographs by the investigating agency, as well as by the crew who arrived after the call to 112, these injuries were not visible in the case. When they took the beneficiary to the examination, unfortunately, the examination could not identify any traces of violence.”

The lawyer explains that when they were involved, Nina was not given the status of a victim, and the investigative agency did not meet the demands of the lawyer with enthusiasm.

“The 112 recording of her calling on her cell phone is half an hour long, where she runs down the street crying and asking for help. This very important evidence did not exist in the case. Neither was the dash cam footage of when the crew arrived and took photos noting that he did indeed appear to be injured.

After our involvement, there was aggression in the investigative agency. I requested to carry out specific investigative actions, as well as to be given the status of a victim, although I was refused by the agency. After that, I had to write complaints both to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and to the Prosecutor’s Office, demanding an urgent response. They contacted me in a few days and our beneficiary received the status of victim”.

Tamuna Gegidze / Aprili Media

According to the lawyer, the records of 112 were requested by themselves, but the investigative agency should have done it.

“We got involved in the case, but it could not be legally confirmed, because officially, on the basis of the appeal and decision of the investigative agency, it should be attached to the case in order for it to have legal force. We presented it, but we demanded that it be obtained officially by the investigative agency in accordance with the law.

The call made to 112 was added to the case, however, as for the video footage of the crew, so much time had already passed that it was no longer stored in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and it could not be retrieved.”

Nina says that after that she received many threats from the violent man, as well as from her friends and family members.

“I was threatened with taking my life and I am still threatened with death. Even after the restraining order, he became abusive again and sent boys to me and insisted that I talk to him again. Then he was taken again by one of the departments and at that time they put him in prison for 48 hours and released him on the so-called temporary bail”.

The lawyer explains that since the aggressor repeatedly tried to pressure and threaten during the case, a new article was added to the case and it was qualified as a threat.

“There was pressure on the victim from family members and friends, we confirmed all this with new survey protocols and evidence, including the testimony of a neighbor who witnessed the pressure. Today, we think that we are firmly in the case for the court to finally impose a guilty verdict”.

The man denies the allegations. According to the lawyer, he appeals to the witnesses and claims that he was with his relatives at the time of committing the crime, specifically the threat. As for the actual case of violence, he confirms that he was with a woman, but does not admit the fact of violence.

The lawyer explains that according to the law, the investigative agency and the prosecutor’s office should be the conduits of the victim’s interests, and he should not need additional protection.

“Unfortunately, you have many facts in Georgia, when the investigation is not carried out for months, the perpetrator is not punished, charged and brought before the court. After the involvement of lawyers, our organization, we get the result, it is very sad, but it is true.

Now the beneficiary is not really safe and it is the fault of the agencies. It is a pity that the court did not see the dangers that could be caused by the actions of the abuser. We also have a number of facts that give the possibility to replace the bail with a stricter restraining measure. The prosecutor’s office did not ask for imprisonment”

Tamuna Gegidze / Aprili Media

The investigation into the case has already been completed. According to the lawyer, forensic examinations have been appointed and they are still waiting for an answer.

“Of course, we will follow the case to the end and when she needs support, we will be by her side,” says the lawyer.

A woman who is a victim of violence explains that this is why women who are victims of violence hope for cover and when the lawyer of the organization is involved in the case, they feel more protected. It also talks about how the Russian law will harm women who are offered various services by similar organizations.

“First of all, of course, no to the Russian law. We can do everything together. But we cannot do anything if these organizations are not there and the cases of violence will increase more and more. Really, what can we do, who should we turn to?! We cannot appeal to people of our category. As you know, not many people can afford to hire a lawyer – we all know how much a lawyer’s services cost. That’s why these organizations should exist and they should not try to destroy them altogether”.

At the end of the interview, Nina told us that she wants to address women.

Women often worry about what people will say. They can say whatever they want. Don’t be around a violent man. Come out and raise your voice and they will really help you. What is it called, what will people say. People will say a lot of things and you don’t have to suffer.

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If you are being abused or have information about someone else being abused, you can contact the police.

• You can request anonymity on the free, 24-hour hotline — 112
• Hotline, which operates to provide advisory services to citizens — 116 006
• Sapari — 599 407 603
• Anti-Violence Network of Georgia – 032 272 67 17
• Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT) – 032 222 06 89;

In addition, you can download the 112 application and the Sapari application (Safe You) in your mobile phone. Both of them have an SOS button, as well as other important features that allow you to track your location, record the voice of the abuser, etc.