You Are Not Alone: Story of Lawyer Bui Dinh Ung

Edited by Luu Thu Huong. 

“That night, my house was set on fire.

It was revenge – because I supported the family of a child who was raped.

They used a chain to lock the house’s gate, doused it with gasoline, then set it on fire. The fire broke out, but my family were still sleeping, not knowing what had just happened.

Luckily, the ward police patrolled that night and put it out for us. We were safe. But if they hadn’t been there, would we have died?

During my nearly 20 years working as a lawyer, I have supported many women who are survivors of violence, mainly through the Peace House and my own law office. The survivors who came to me were diverse. From the working class to the intellectuals, no one is exempted. Many of them were beaten; others were mentally abused to the point where they broke down and could not sleep.

In most cases, I don’t charge these women money. Supporting them is my duty, my responsibility as a lawyer. But you know, sometimes it’s dangerous. For example, when the other party is very aggressive or holds power, I worry that I wouldn’t even be able to protect myself and my family, let alone my client. No one will care if I die anyway.

But I’m still here, to this day. My conscience forces me. If the survivors didn’t come to me, where would they go? How would they get help? I have been supporting lots of domestic violence cases – to the point where new clients thought I was a family lawyer, haha.

And believe it or not, my family never complain about my job even though it can put them in danger. My wife is a Buddhist – she tries to find and give kindness in life. All of my children are lawyers or preparing to become lawyers. We share the same belief – “To live is to give.”

Maybe I was chosen to be a lawyer. Many people after receiving support have recovered and taken back their lives. That means my work has some meaning to it, right?”.

– Lawyer Bùi Đình Ứng, Hà Nội Bar Association.