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A Labor MP has opened up about her personal experience of domestic violence in a speech to Parliament that left her colleagues in tears.
In a statement marking White Ribbon week, Emma Husar, the Member for Lindsay, said 29 of her 36 years had been affected by domestic violence.
"The first 13 years of my life were marred with physical domestic violence, committed towards my mother, at the hands of my always drunk-when-abusive father," Ms Husar, who was elected at the July election, said.
"My dad was the son of a World War II German soldier who committed many acts of violence against his wife and against his seven children.
"My father had been raised in a house where violence was the accepted norm and at a time when society said these were private matters.
"Whilst the blows that landed on my mother during my childhood didn't land on me physically – they may as well have.
"The trauma inflicted was the same; I recall it vividly and in great detail."
Ms Husar recalled her father hurling his dinner at the wall, leaving a stain that lasted for years. On another occasion he smashed the distributor cap of the family car to stop her mother escaping with the children.
During her childhood, Ms Husar, her sister and her mother regularly stayed at women's refuges but had to shift to pubs because her father learnt the location of the refuges, making them unsafe.
"We know women return time and time again even when their lives are massively disrupted along with their children's and I hope that the blame that was launched at my Mum during the 90s for not leaving is no longer part of the 'solution' around domestic violence and I hope the questions of 'why doesn't she just leave' quit being asked," she said.
The last incident of domestic violence during her childhood involved 13 police cars arriving at their home.
"Sadly, the wheel of domestic violence continues to affect my life as a grown woman, with children of my own," she said.
"The last 16 years of my life have been and continue to be affected by domestic and family violence. "
Ms Husar, whose seat is in western Sydney, thanked her parliamentary colleagues and staff at the Penrith Women's Health Service for their support.
"For many years I was embarrassed and ashamed," she said.
"I know that I shouldn't be but I am.
"I hope that today I have lent my voice, my story, and my passion for advocating change to the choir of the White Ribbon movement who call on us to stand up, speak out and act."
