Amy, 35, is the mother of six-year-old Kit-chai. She left her husband after claiming he physically abused her. She and her son live on dole payments of $3,400 a month.
Amy and her son Kit-chai live in a 250 sq ft public housing flat in Kowloon West. She said she was trying to build a better life for herself and Kit-chai to escape their difficult circumstances.
'I am from the mainland and do not have anyone in Hong Kong. Kit-chai is my only family member,' Amy said.
She arrived in Hong Kong in 1995 - two years after she married on the mainland. The marriage started to turn sour after their son was born.
The mother and son sought shelter at the Harmony House refuge in November 2000 after she said she was abused by her husband, a construction worker.
'When my husband beat me up, I felt very helpless because I have no family in Hong Kong. Kit-chai had witnessed how my husband and I hurt each other. Even now, my son still has nightmares and cries in the middle of the night,' the mother said.