Vadin* felt the slap of his father’s hand as if he’d received it himself. The sound cracked through the thin walls of their home, and he quickly retreated.
Vadin had heard his parents fight before at nine years old, but he’d never witnessed it. He felt something shift within himself in the days following. He withdrew even more, feigning illness to avoid school, becoming increasingly lethargic and unmotivated.
Sadhri, his mother, had endured violence at the hands of her husband for years. It only worsened when he drank, and she realized what the violence was doing to her children. She knew something needed to change. She watched Vadin withdraw further into himself and became desperate for a way out.
She went to Goldie, Back2Back India’s Site Director, and shared what was happening. “I cannot go on like this; neither can my children. I want to end it all, but where would my children go?”
India has one of the lowest divorce rates in the world. The economic and social costs of leaving a marriage is high for women, making independent living difficult, if not impossible. According to Census India, in 2021, just 0.24% of the population was legally divorced, while 0.61% was separated. A 2025 Pew Research Center survey across 25 countries revealed that 65% of Indian adults believe divorce is morally wrong. In addition, marriage is also deeply embedded within kinship networks, meaning its dissolution can affect far more than two individuals.
Goldie listened as Sadhri shared what she and her children had been living through. It was clear the family needed a path to safety.
Vadin was not the only child carrying the effects of what was happening at home. His younger brother, Vasu*, had begun experiencing seizures amid the fighting and yelling, and struggling more at school. The Back2Back India team connected the family with a psychologist and primary care provider, and their instructions were Vasu could not remain in a home filled with loud noises and violence. Sadhri’s choice became clear, and she and her boys left.
“We were able to help them find a safe place, and she filed for divorce,” Goldie shared. “We are working closely with the family to ensure the boys and their mom have what they need.”
Today, Sadhri, Vadin, and Vasu live safely together, and the boys are learning ways to regulate their emotions and bodies. Vasu now experiences very few seizures as Sadhri slowly discovers what life can look like without fear.
Difficult days are still ahead, as healing takes time. But their home is different now, safe, and in that safety, Vadin and Vasu have space to simply be children. Sadhri is a single mom, and that’s not easy, but she’s looking ahead for the first time. Survival had demanded all she had. Now, she is dreaming again.
