16 days of activism against gender-based violence | Lily’s inspirational journey

Today (10 December) is the final day of ‘16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence’ - an international movement to end violence against women and girls. At the University of South Wales (USW), Lily shares her story.

Lily, 43, is studying a Masters degree in Psychology at USW. Her goal is to become a qualified clinical psychologist but her journey to higher education has been far from easy.

Born and raised in Ghana, Lily entered an arranged marriage when she was 19 and moved to the Netherlands. During the marriage, she endured years of domestic abuse. It wasn’t until they relocated to the UK that she was able to break free from the cycle of abuse and begin rebuilding her life.

Her experience in this relationship, coupled with working as a care and support worker, opened her eyes to the dynamics of psychological trauma and healing.

“Through my work, I realised what I had been through was abuse. It took years to find my voice, but once I recognised it, I knew I had to break free.” she said.

“It was a very lonely time. Though we are speaking now, initially, my family at home in Ghana did not support me leaving the marriage.”

After seeking help and leaving her husband, Lily found herself advising and supporting friends who were also in difficult situations, encouraging them with the wisdom gained from her own struggles. However knowing her limitations as an unqualified counsellor, she sought professional training. “Someone once told me, ‘You’re really good at listening without judgment, why don’t you pursue this?’ That’s when I realized this could be my career path.”

After completing some qualifications alongside her care work, Lily was offered a place to study BA (Hons) Counselling and Therapeutic Practice at USW, which she enjoyed so much that she decided to continue her education by going on to the master course.

Now living in Cardiff with her two children, aged 17 and 10, Lily is driven by her ambition to become a clinical psychologist. She dreams of working in a hospital setting, focusing on mental health. She said: "My ultimate goal is to work in a hospital setting, helping people with the psychological tools they need to heal, especially those who have experienced trauma."