Benefits

Anna was sitting in the kitchen relaxing and finishing off her tea, after putting the three children (Jess 10 years, Simon 9 years and Angela 7 years) to sleep at eight pm.

Peter walks in, in a bad mood. “I think you should put the benefits in my name”, “what do you mean” she said.

After being deceived by peter for years, that he would work and they would all get a better life he wanted the benefits in his name. He wouldn’t spend money on children but send it home so he could buy a house there and business in his homeland. He had no intention of giving any money to his family but to keep it for himself.

“I certainly not doing that” she said.

Peter blew into a rage the clasped his fist and threatened Anna with it.

Anna looked shocked, unable to understand she tried to calm the situation by being reasonable. “The benefits officer said the benefits go to the mother, so she can buy things for her children”

Peter was getting more angrier “give me the money or see what I do”

Anna said “do it “

He walked away.

Anna was confused. From the next day he started divorce proceeding, contacting social work and police. He was dishonouring her name so they would take the children from her and give them to him.

Anna was not well she had depression and feared some of his accusations may stick. She had been sectioned a year before and knew she didn’t stand a chance.

She didn’t know what to do. She was on medication. The social work began to visit.

The children were of impressionable age where they would listen to their dad. Peter started influencing the children into making statements to social services about how she scolded them. The children then started reporting Anna. Only the youngest Angela wouldn’t lie about her and nobody listened to her. She didn’t buy Jess a football top because it was fifty pounds. Jess reported this to social work. Anna was being pinned to the wall. This continued for sometime until peter got another council house and took the children. Anna was left with supervised visits. Peter got the benefits. He wouldn’t let Anna see the children. Peter started abusing Angela by throwing her on the sofa when she would cry for her mum.

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