A woman whose ex-partner subjected her to a brutal campaign of abuse which resulted in two facial surgeries after he broke her jaw and knocked out five teeth has called on men to do more to combat domestic abuse and misogyny.
Eva Komuves (48) was left with her teeth hanging by threads of gum after a vicious attack from her ex-partner in 2023, the culmination of a series of abuse which she said began with criticism and sexist comments behind closed doors.
Eva, whose former partner pleaded guilty in recent weeks and is due to be sentenced, has waived her right to anonymity as part of a campaign to change the behaviours of men and boys towards women, launched by the PSNI, Department of Justice and the Executive Office.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Eva said the abuse she suffered quickly turned from criticism from her ex-partner to brutal physical assaults.
“At first I couldn’t believe this handsome, intelligent, musically talented guy wanted to be with me, but it didn’t take too long for this all to stop,” she said.
“He continuously criticised me. My daily routine, I wake up early at around 5am and he told me it’s not a normal thing to do.
“He criticised my work, my appearance, the way I dress. He used to say I didn’t dress according to my age. What I ate, when I ate and even why I used social media.
“He dismissed my hobbies like painting and jewellery as childish. He tried to control my social circle and who I could be friends with.
“After one argument, he pushed me to the ground and punched me several times, breaking my nose and refused to take me to the hospital.
“My friend took me to the hospital, and I barely told anyone about what happened.
“After that he went back to being the nice guy and made an effort in the short term, but it never lasted.
“It never started with a punch, it started with sexist jokes, misogynistic comments and degrading behaviour.”
The catalogue of abuse peaked in 2023 when after a sustained attack she once again ended up in hospital.
“After an incident in 2023 I looked in the mirror and I saw a desperate woman staring back, her mouth covered in blood, her teeth hanging by threads of gum in the middle.
“I can tell you in brutal detail how someone I called my love broke my jaw, pushed me to the ground and told me with chilling indifference that I had only myself to blame.
“The truth is I didn’t acknowledge the warning signs or ask for help, because I felt ashamed.
“I searched for reasons, asking what I had done wrong and why I deserved such punishment.
“I was told when I was in the hospital that my face was not going to be the same, but my dentist reassured me that he was going to make me look the same.
“I prepared myself that not just my face, my smile, my bubbly personality would never be the same. But after surgery and many hours of counselling I stand here today.
“Unfortunately my story is not unique. In Northern Ireland too many women have suffered terribly at the hands of men.”
Eva said she hoped sharing her story would inspire other victims to seek support.
“Unfortunately my story is far from unique,” she said.
“In Northern Ireland, too many women and girls have suffered terribly at the hands of men. Many others have faced harassment on the street or in the workplace or been the subject of sexist jokes.
“These behaviours tend to go unchallenged because we rationalise as a society that they aren’t committing a crime.
“The lad culture in Northern Ireland is accepted and it shouldn’t be. It only feeds the confidence that misogynistic men have to further their negative behaviours towards women and girls, and I’m speaking from experience.”
Ms Komuves received a standing ovation from the audience at the Cineworld launch venue after sharing her story.
“I hope that this campaign helps men and boys to feel brave enough not to follow the crowds and to be the voice for women and girls,” she said.
“As a society, it’s about time that we stood up for what is right. When I look in the mirror now, I see a strong woman, I see someone who chose to stand up and break the cycle.
“I hope that by sharing my story, I can help others to find the courage to do the same.”
The Power to Change campaign was launched at the SSE Arena on Wednesday, with speakers including PSNI Chief Constable, First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Justice Minister Naomi Long.
Between January 2019 and December 2024, 32 women and girls across Northern Ireland were killed by men. Between December 2018 and November 2024, 92 attempted murder offences were also recorded where the victim was female.
The campaign aims to address the role of men in protecting women from all forms of abuse and misogyny.
