Lampool’s story
A courageous fight for her daughter and a new beginning

The night that Lampool called the police to report her husband and his abusive family, she assumed that her life was about to change. Married to an English man with little knowledge of the language herself, she had suffered his manipulative, violent behaviour towards herself and their three-year-old daughter for years.
However, to her horror, upon arriving at their home the police immediately asked to speak directly to her husband. He naturally denied the accusation, and the police left satisfied, abandoning Lampool to her husband’s fury.
She had no choice; she had to flee. But her own escape came at a heavy emotional cost, as she was forced to leave her daughter behind. For the first few weeks that Lampool lived with us at Gilgal, she spent every day and every night in tears, dwelling on her daughter’s parting words: “Please mummy, don’t run away”.
Lampool’s support workers were patient. As an incredibly independent person, she at first found it very hard to rely on others and open up about her experiences. Over time, she began to speak more feely, offloading her emotions, disclosing the abuse she had experienced, and speaking fondly of her daughter. She began to recognise the importance of stabilising her life and earning money, so that she could be reunited with her daughter.

With Gilgal’s help, Lampool began the lengthy process of obtaining custody. Her limited knowledge of English, lack of evidence of the abuse, and financial constraints made it very hard for her to find a solicitor, and her applications for legal aid were repeatedly rejected. A brief win of supervised contact with her daughter was cut short, when her husband responded with a retaliatory accusation, insinuating that she had been abusive to him and was upsetting their daughter. All contact was immediately suspended. Lampool felt incredibly helpless.
On their last meeting, her daughter had said, “Mummy put me in your pocket, so I can go home with you.” She grew increasingly concerned that her daughter was not happy living with her father and his family.
“Mummy put me in your pocket, so I can go home with you.”
A significant breakthrough came when Lampool found video and message evidence of her husband’s abuse. This evidence was crucial in securing legal aid, marking a turning point in her journey. The successful acquisition of legal aid brought Lampool immense relief and joy – she found she was crying again, but now for a very different reason!
Contact with her daughter was re-established, including overnight stays, which significantly improved Lampool’s mental health. With renewed hope and determination, she focused on saving money and rebuilding her life, working hard and learning English. Gilgal arranged for her to move to a bigger room to accommodate her daughter’s stays and found toys for the little girl to play with so that the visits could feel as normal and natural as possible.
All her hard work and resilience paid off. Lampool eventually secured her own flat and successfully divorced her husband. She now has joint custody of her daughter and works as a self-employed beautician. Lampool’s journey has been marked by significant challenges, but her determination to create a better life for herself and her daughter has been unwavering.
Lampool remains deeply grateful for the support she received from Gilgal. As one of our ambassadors, she has agreed that we can tell her inspiring story, in hopes that she can raise awareness of domestic abuse.

The kindness and assistance she received during her darkest times have inspired her to give back, determined to raise money to help others in similar situations and to pay back the refuge’s kindness. “Thank you very much for never leaving me, we love Gilgal!” Lampool’s story is one of resilience, hope, and the transformative power of support and community.
“Thank you very much
for never leaving me”
We are incredibly proud of Lampool; she is a great of example of someone who kept on working for the life she and her daughter deserve. We’re thrilled to see the progress she has made in her career, and to witness her daughter grow up sweet and kind.
Lampool’s story could have had a very different outcome without the help of our fantastic staff. Our Support Workers are more than just Independent Domestic Abuse Advisers (IDVAs) – they are a listening ear, a helping hand, and a lifeline to a newer, brighter future.
If you are able to give to support the work we do with women like Lampool, any donation big or small is greatly appreciated.