EASTERN EYE July 17, 2009
www.easterneye.eu
7
by Nadeem Badshah
DAILY beatings, imprisoned at home and
being forced to work up to 18 hours a
day – this is what many Asian women
trapped in marriages from hell are hav-
ing to endure.
One of these victims is Nausheen (main pic-
ture), who came to London from Mirpur, north
Pakistan, to join her husband.
The 21-year-old was let out of the house just
once by her in-laws, and forced to follow a
gruelling timetable of daily chores.
After being treated worse than an animal for
a year, Nausheen escaped. She was put in
touch with support group Southall Black Sis-
ters (SBS), which celebrates its 30th anniver-
sary on Friday (17).
In a harrowing interview with Eastern Eye,
Nausheen said: “I had to break down a brick
wall in the garden, separate the mortar from
the bricks, in winter.
“We [Nausheen and another sister-in-law]
had to work outside in our night clothes and
slippers. We had to start cooking at 7am, what-
ever they ordered within a time period.
“The work would get inspected by my mum-
in-law and sister-in-law, who was 16. She
would terrorise me, spit on the window some-
times and tell me to clean it again.
“My brother-in-law and mother-in-law used
to slap me and hit me. But I didn’t want to tell
police as it would shame the family, since I
married my cousin.”
SBS says it is contacted by about 15 women
each week who are suffering similar plights to
Nausheen’s. The group claims the real number
of victims is higher as many are too frightened
to come forward.
This is because many are from the subconti-
nent, on a two-year spouse visa, and are de-
pendant on their husband. Often they cannot
speak fluent English, do not know where they
can seek help, and are not entitled to benefits.
The government allows domestic violence
victims to stay in Britain after their visa ex-
pires, if they provide evidence of their abuse.
But SBS wants the government to allow vic-
tims to have access to housing and benefits so
they can flee their abusive marriage. I