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Over a third of women seeking help from the Hong Kong Federation of Women's Centres are experiencing mental health issues that are often rooted in domestic violence and relationship problems.

Its women's helpline has received 11,054 calls in the past seven years, with numbers steadily rising and hitting a seven-year high of 1,805 in 2022-23.

That pandemic period caused a worsening of interpersonal relationships and financial situations and increased parent-child communication issues.

Of the callers, 39.4 percent expressed feelings of depression and anxiety, while 22.1 percent had low self-esteem.

Self-esteem risks are 150 to 288 percent higher for women at the receiving end of domestic violence, stalking, gender discrimination, or family status discrimination.

A single mom, May, suffered abuse for over nine years from her very month of marriage. Despite friends and family members trying to stop her, she left home.

May got help fortifying her mental resilience after coping with bouts of depression at an asylum center. "Do not let your emotions transfer to your child when you feel depressed," she said.

The centers provide initial telephone interventions, case registration, in-depth counseling, free legal consultations, and employment support.

Bad year took toll on women