9% of Malaysian women who have ever been in a relationship experience domestic violence. 9% may not seem like much, but that essentially amounts to about 800,000 Malaysian women. These are the very realities that Eswari Varanarasamma from WAO confronts in her daily work.

Eswari Varanarasamma is a social worker at the Women’s Aid Organisation, where she works closely with women and children affected by domestic violence. In light of WAO’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence campaign, in this episode, we speak to Eswari about her journey as a social worker, some of the challenges she faces, and more.

If you’re experiencing domestic violence, here are some numbers you can contact. You are not alone.

• WAO Hotline: +603 3000 8858 (9 am – 5 pm)

• SMS/WhatsApp TINA: +6018 988 8058 (24 hours)