Encore: The child bride who escaped her violent husband to begin an extraordinary new life

Hana Assafiri was married off at 15 to a controlling and abusive man. Within four years she'd escaped, to begin her remarkable reinvention.

Hana was born in Melbourne and lived in Lebanon with her family for much of her childhood. In 1976, her family returned to Australia.

While still a teenager, Hana was married off to a much older man.

She fought to be free of her violent husband, despite divorce being unheard of in her conservative Muslim family.

At the age of 20, she escaped the marriage and began her reinvention in some remarkable ways.

She revolutionised the tramways of Melbourne by becoming the first female train conductor to insist on wearing shorts. A few years later she spied a shop for lease in Fitzroy, and her Moroccan soup bar was born.

The restaurant became a cherished place for food and community, and it also gave many other women who worked there a path to independence and safety.

Content warning: this episode of Conversations discusses physical and sexual violence against women and children.

First broadcast in 2024

Further information

Hana: The Audacity to be Free is published by Melbourne Books

Help and support are always available

You can call Lifeline 24 hours a day on 13 11 14

1800 737 732 is a 24-hour counselling line for anyone who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.

This episode of Conversations was produced by Nicola Harrison, the Executive Producer was Carmel Rooney.It explores domestic violence, teenage brides, Lebanon, family, food, abuse, Melbourne, Fitzroy, trams, Moroccan Soup Kitchen, religion, rules, traditions.To binge even more great episodes of the Conversations podcast with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities