Women carry multiple roles, expectations, and burdens, often silently. Behind the many faces a woman may wear — smiling, stoic, sad, anxious — are stories of endurance shaped by inequality, trauma, social disadvantage, and structural invisibility. These layers are not simply emotional responses; they are survival strategies in a world that too often silences, marginalises, and fails women.
At Link To Us, we recognise the psychological and systemic realities that shape women’s lives and emotional wellbeing.
This article explores the many challenges women face, from domestic violence to economic hardship and mental health struggles, and highlights the need for trauma-informed, intersectional support.
The Silent Toll of Domestic and Family Violence
Domestic and family violence (DFV) is a critical public health and human rights issue disproportionately affecting women. In Australia, approximately 1 in 4 women have experienced emotional abuse by a current or former partner (AIHW, 2021). Many face ongoing coercive control, threats, and isolation long after leaving the relationship — often while navigating legal systems, housing insecurity, and parenting.
Women in these circumstances frequently mask their distress to maintain safety or meet societal expectations of being ‘strong’ or ‘coping’. This leads to what Herman (1992) calls a “double wound”: the trauma itself, and the silence that follows.
Motherhood and the Burden of Care
Motherhood, while often idealised, can be a site of overwhelming pressure and emotional strain. Single mothers, in particular, are vulnerable to financial insecurity and housing instability. According to the Australian Council of Social Service (2023), 44% of single mothers in Australia live in poverty.
Despite this, mothers are often judged for the very choices they are forced to make — whether staying in unsafe relationships due to economic dependency or being scrutinised for “not coping” after leaving. The emotional labour of caregiving, managing trauma, and holding families together frequently goes unseen.
Mental Health and the Hidden Struggles
Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression and anxiety, particularly during periods of reproductive transition (WHO, 2022). These mental health challenges are deeply connected to trauma, financial pressure, and the persistent burden of unpaid emotional and domestic labour.
In trauma-informed practice, we recognise that behaviours labelled as ‘emotional’, ‘disengaged’, or ‘non-compliant’ are often adaptive responses to chronic stress, grief, and fear. The faces of sadness, numbness, or even irritability in women are not disorders — they are signals of deeper systemic and psychological wounds (Bloom & Farragher, 2013).
Freedom, Voice, and Structural Disadvantage
Gender inequality extends beyond individual relationships. Women continue to face barriers to economic participation, legal representation, access to care, and bodily autonomy. These intersect with racism, disability, migration status, and class — meaning some women experience layered disadvantage.
For example, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women are 32 times more likely to be hospitalised due to family violence than non-Indigenous women (AIHW, 2020). Women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds may face language barriers, visa insecurity, or fear of community retaliation when seeking help.
The Need for Trauma-Informed, Intersectional Support
At Link To Us, we do not ask women to present only their resilient face. We hold space for:
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The woman who cannot smile today.
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The woman who feels broken but is still trying.
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The woman who left and was never believed.
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The mother who is tired of being everything to everyone.
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The survivor who is still figuring out what safety feels like.
- All the women out there that are fighting for their freedom, their safety, for their families, for equality, for justice.
We see you. You are not alone.
Trauma-informed and intersectional care acknowledges that women’s emotional expressions are entangled with systemic injustice. Supporting women means seeing their sadness, fear, anger, and hope — and honouring them all.
Conclusion
The many faces of a woman tell a story of survival in a world that often demands silence, compliance, and strength. When we make space for those stories — with compassion, clinical insight, and community care — we begin the work of collective healing.
Written by Lorena Fernandez Collazo (Clinical Counsellor)
References
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AIHW. (2020). Family, domestic and sexual violence in Australia: Continuing the national story. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
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AIHW. (2021). Emotional abuse by a partner. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
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Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS). (2023). Poverty in Australia Snapshot.
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Bloom, S. L., & Farragher, B. (2013). Restoring sanctuary: A new operating system for trauma-informed systems of care. Oxford University Press.
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Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence—from domestic abuse to political terror. Basic Books.
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World Health Organization (WHO). (2022). Mental health of women in the perinatal period.
