IN
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SHO
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Meet Lana

I never did well in school – I was always in trouble for wagging and giving cheek. I got out as soon as I could.

When I was 15, I got involved with a fella called Joe and got pregnant. We moved to Queensland so he could get a job, but that didn’t last long.

He was no good, but we ended up having four kids together; I could handle him hitting and abusing me, but when he started on my babies, I fought back. I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt my kids the way my uncle hurt me.

One day Joe was going at me and I knew he was going to bash me again. I had enough and I hit him over the head with a hammer.

I ended up serving 8 years in prison for attempting to kill him; stupid system, no-one ever locked him away for all the times he tried to kill me.

I’m currently on Board Ordered Parole, and report weekly to my Parole Officer.

My kids were taken by Child Safety and I haven’t seen any of them for nearly 9 years now. I hope I might eventually be able to see my son and daughter who are 10 and 12. The older ones are grown up and lost to me – who knows, I could even be a granny.