Please help to bring Anna* and her boy home safely.

After enduring years of domestic violence living in her husband's home country, far away from the support of her family and friends, my dear friend, Anna, has left her abusive marriage. Right now, however, she is unable to return home to Australia with her son.

If Anna brings her boy to Australia, without legal custody of him, she could be criminally prosecuted. Her son could be extradited, and her own visa revoked. For the moment, therefore, she is stuck overseas.

Anna has no access to her home or her personal resources. Her husband sold her car, emptied her bank account and is occupying the family home. He sporadically collects their son from preschool without warning and withholds him from Anna and from preschool, sometimes for weeks at a time. Without custody orders in place, Anna has no power to change this situation.

Anna's family have exhausted their own resources, travelling back and forth to support her to establish safe accommodation and begin proceedings to keep herself safe. Anna needs support now to pay $45,000 of legal fees to secure custody of her child, and position herself to be able to return to Australia. Any help you can offer is greatly appreciated and desperately needed.

Thanks in advance.

*name changed to protect identity