NEW YORK: “I come from Baglung District, a part of Dhawalagiri Zone in Nepal. My house overlooks the river. Do you know, our district is known for the suspension bridges?” her eyes glimmer for a fraction of a second and then she breathes a heavy sigh. Her right hand is still wrapped in a scarf, while with the other she pats her 17-month-old. “If I ever get a chance I will take you to my village, we have a lot of medicinal plants.” She pauses while tears roll down as she continues our Facetime session. “I was 16 when I had my first child and I was 17 when my arm was broken by my mother-in-law.”
These are the words of Balaphuspika Gopal. She is an intimate partner abuse survivor from Nepal, currently living in a women’s shelter in New York City. She migrated to the United States two years ago with her husband and five children and is waiting for naturalization. She came to the shelter 26 days ago after being released from a hospital in Queens, New York, recovering from a fractured rib, three broken fingers and is now under complete social isolation due to the emergency declared for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
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