Sunita's story
Forced marriage
"In January '08 I went to Pakistan with my family with the intention of celebrating a cousin’s wedding. I was looking forward to seeing my aunties and uncles as I had not seen them for many years as I have lived in England all my life and only visited Pakistan when I was little."
"I arrived at my aunties with my family and was taken into the room that I would be sleeping in with my 3 older sisters. The following day I got dressed and began to make plans to go out for the day."
"My mother and 2 aunties called me into the sitting room asking the men and children to leave us alone. I sat down opposite them and my mother said to me that an arrangement had been made for me to marry one of my cousins and the wedding was planned for next week."
"I remember feeling shocked and numb at this point I thought I was going to pass out."
"After the initial shock wore off I told my family that I did not want to marry my cousin and that my life was with my friends in England. I was 18 and doing my A levels I had plans to study and go to university."
"My mother told me I was to forget my plans and I had to respect marriage and my religion. I loved my mother and had always been respectful to her, but I could not go through with this marriage."
"I was told adamantly that until I agreed to marry I would not be allowed to return to England and how dare I bring shame upon the family."
Kept captive
"I was sent to another family member's home out in the country who kept a vigil eye on me every second of the day. The doors and windows were constantly locked and I was locked in my bedroom on a night. I was accompanied everywhere I went."
"The weeks and months went by and I felt so scared and alone, my family had returned to England and were true to their word, until I agreed to marry my cousin I would not be allowed home."
"I prayed at least 5 times a day in the hope of finding some peace and some answers to my situation. I would ask Allah to give me strength and free me from this life, I had no will to carry on."
"After 6 months I realised the only way I could get back to England was to agree to marry. Two weeks later my mother and father flew out and the wedding took place."
"My cousin was 30 years old and I sobbed all night after the consummation of the marriage. As a little girl growing up I had dreams of my perfect man and the perfect wedding, I felt dirty and violated, I curled myself up in a ball and rocked myself to sleep. I cannot remember how many times my husband raped me after that first time."
"Two weeks after the wedding I flew back to England with my family leaving my husband in Pakistan. H e would come over on a spousal visa when I had proved I could support him."
"
I was very depressed and was again kept a prisoner in the home, my sisters were always with me wherever I went.
I began having panic attacks and flashbacks, I had great difficulty sleeping and again had no will to carry on."
"I have a very vague recollection of the next few weeks but awoke from my nightmare in hospital. I was told by the nurses that I had tried to take my own life and when I was able to talk had disclosed the details of the past few months."
Refuge
"The nurses told me about Women’s Aid. I was visited by a support worker who supported me and got me into a women’s refuge."
"I have received so much support from the refuge and in so many ways, I am now applying to the Sharia council for an Islamic divorce on the grounds of domestic abuse with my support worker’s help."
"I miss my family and often feel sad and alone but I can now see a future and am slowly recovering from the past and making a new life for myself."
In December 2009, Sunita was granted an Islamic divorce by the Sharia council.
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