Violence in the Name of Motherhood

Some time ago, law enforcement bodies detained fifteen-year-old Giorgi Khachishvili for thievery. Relatives of the family claim that the boy was forced to commit a crime because of unbearable conditions of his family. Giorgi’s four little siblings live in similar conditions too. Alcoholic mother treats her children cruelly. Neighbors said that she tries to feed her hungry children with alcohol. If they resist her, she beats them.

The family of Khachishvili lives in the village of Mukuzani in the Gurjaani district. Maia Arabuli, the mother brings up the children. However, the Human Rights Center found out that Maia Arabuli does not take proper care of her children and assaults the children very often. “She is away whole days and in the evening she gets home drunk. Children are alone at home. Moreover, the allowance she receives within the Poverty Reduction Program is not enough for her. Thus she makes her fifteen-year-old and nine-year-old sons to graze cattle of their neighbors in order to bring five lari home in the evening. She spends money only on alcohol and she is always drunk. Children are hungry when she gets home and she cannot calm them down. Just imagine that she makes the youngest child, who is not two yet, drink alcohol to go asleep. If children resist her she beats them. We have warned her several times and threatened with the police but she has not given up her behavior. The relatives also know about her life,” said neighbors of the Khachishvilis.
 
Representatives of the center witnessed how mother treats her children. They were waiting for her since morning and finally Arabuli returned home. She was holding a bottle of alcohol in her hand and she was very drunk herself. She got a bit embarrassed at seeing us and asked us what we wanted.  “Do I beat my children? What are you saying? How can I treat my children so cruelly,” the youngest child’s crying interrupted the mother. “Why are you crying, you horrible child,” Arabuli got furious and beat the child in front of us. Then she picked up the child and took him into the room. “I will asleep him and be back soon,” said she but we followed her in.

It was terrible mess and unbearable situation in the yard, on the balcony and particularly in the room. We wondered how children were healthy in such a mess. Arabuli assured us that her children were healthy. She beat the child who was not falling asleep and banged the door. “We are a bit in a mess. I am very busy and could not tidy the room,” she tried to apologize but could not finish the word because she was too drunk.

Relatives have information that Khachishvili’s family live in terrible situation. They do not deny that children are almost hungry, because Maia is drunkard, etc. However, they do not want to blame the mother for harassing her children. They just say that the best solution of the problem is to send children to Children’s House, though the mother is against it.

It must be pointed out that local law enforcement bodies must have information about children’s violence. The neighbors say that the police got information about the situation after criminal case was launched on Giorgi. The police arrived in Mukuzaani regarding the fact. Despite that the police did not get interested in the situation of the family.

Teachers from the Mukuzani Public School tried to improve the situation in the family. The director of the school said that the children have not been to school for two years. The reason is that those children have no clothes, shoes and mother does not let them to school. It is true because the children told the representatives of the center that the mother really did not let them go to school. Teachers said that District Educational Resource Center should have information about the children’s violence; however representatives of the Resource Center refuse to have similar information.”

Lia Khuroshvili, for the Human Rights Center, said that violator or mother does not want to believe that she treats her children terribly; though it is true. “We will immediately inform the corresponding bodies to react on the situation because the children’s health and future are in serious danger. Educational-Resource Center must investigate the situation of the family, make a conclusion and take urgent measures to resolve the problem. Besides that police should get interested in the situation and warn the mother to give up harassment of her children. It will be better if children will be taken to the Children’s House. When Giorgi was released form the prisoner he said he had better conditions in prison because there was water there and he could wash up. Thus, it is not necessary to discuss the living conditions of the Khachishvilis,” said Khuroshvili.

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti