George Palmer

She came to a refugee camp and shortly before she left...

She was going to get water from a well not far from the camp.

She was attacked and raped.

When she came to Australia, her brother came with her.

It was discovered then that she was pregnant.

To be with child, even in the circumstances in which she was made pregnant, was a huge disgrace.

She was virtually imprisoned by her brother in the small unit where they lived, not allowed to come out.

She escaped and went and fled to a refuge.

And she was taken to the hospital where she gave birth to the child.

She told the social workers there that she and the child would probably be killed.

She was in a very, very distracted state you can imagine from her experiences.

So the social workers stepped in.

They took the little girl away.

They put her with some foster parents.

The mother had some psychiatric treatment, but she was struggling a lot.

About four or five years later, the foster carers applied for adoption and the mother opposed.

She said, basically, this little girl is the only thing I've got in my life.

After all she's been through.

The foster parents were distraught as well.

This is our girl, this is our child, you can't take her away.