Delita John is not just a survivor – she is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.
Delita John
Hailing from the Amerindian village of Campbelltown in Region Eight, Delita’s story is one of enduring years of verbal torment. However, she found the courage to break free and rebuild her life from the ashes.
A MARRIAGE TURNED SOUR
Delita got married at 21, expecting a lifetime of happiness. However, what followed was far from blissful.
I got married in 2000, and for three years, I was in a happy relationship. But after that, I was not in a happy relationship because of the things that I had been going through for the past seven years.
Her husband’s sharp tongue became a weapon, inflicting deep emotional wounds that affected not just her but also her children.
My children could not take their education because they were going through the same abuse. They used to come to school, but they were not focusing on what they were doing. All they were studying was what would happen when they reached home. I used to sit and cry for many days. He never knocked me or my children, never never-since me, and he got married. But just the words he used to tell us.
THE BREAKING POINT
The situation reached a breaking point when Delita discovered her husband’s alleged infidelity.
Desperate and broken, she contemplated a tragic end for herself and her children.
I made up my mind to drink poison and give my children poison. But I don’t know, that day was not the time for me because when I went to do this thing, I locked the house and everything. Nobody was in the house, just me and my five children. And when I locked the door and mixed the poison to go give my kids, I heard a voice, I heard a voice, and it was like, ‘my daughter, your pain is over,’ and I heard this voice three times. I then threw away the poison.
TAKING CONTROL
Two months pregnant with her fifth child, Delita made the courageous decision to leave her husband.
Despite the daunting prospect of single parenthood, she was determined to give her children a better life.
Many people encouraged me to separate from my husband, which is my ex-right. I used to ignore these people because I thought my husband was the person who was by my side or who loved me then. I used to tell myself that if I walked away from him, I would never see somebody again, or that would be the end of my journey. I remember my grandparents telling me that you have to make that decision, not anybody else. Leaving was very, very rough, but I had to make it through because I made up my mind to walk off.
A NEW BEGINNING
After leaving her marriage and seeking help from the United Nations Shelter for Hope, Delita completed a two-year social work course. Today, she works as a counsellor, using her own experiences to help others in similar situations.
I want to educate myself; I want to further it because I want to educate those who are in abusive lives. I want to also encourage children who are going through sexual abuse, drug abuse, and other things to get out. Even if the police are not helping you, get somebody that could bring your problem to the higher authority, who will look into your problems because a lot is struggling out of there.
