A teenage girl was forced to marry a grown man just months after finishing school before he abused her for years.
Melika had never met the man and didn't want to marry him but was forced into it by her family who had put her through Female Genital Mutilation as a child . After their marriage, Melika was physically, sexually, emotionally and financially abused by her much older husband.
Within months of their wedding, she was pregnant. Now being supported by Merseyside charity Savera UK, Melika said she knew growing up she would be a victim of Honour Based Abuse.
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She said: "“I always knew that the ceremony was going to happen, I just didn't have a choice about anything."
Melika told her family about the abuse she was suffering but claims they said it was just a part of marriage that she should accept. Alongside the abuse, Melika was also accused of infidelity and had to go through a terrifying ritual interrogation.
Her children were taken away from her and she was not allowed food and drink until she was "deemed innocent" Her abuser also tried to put her baby through FGM.
Melika travelled through many countries with her abuser and tried to report him but he was so powerful nothing happened to him.. It wasn't until Melika got in touch with Savera UK that she felt like she had "peace and hope".
She said: "I was able to sleep well for the first time in a long time with this protection in place. I can focus on myself and the kids."
Honour based abuse does not have a statutory definition in England and Wales but it can involve child marriage, virginity testing, enforced abortion, forced marriage, female genital mutilation (FGM), as well as physical, sexual, and economic abuse and coercive control.
"Honour" can be the motivation, excuse or justification behind violent acts against women and can lead to "honour killings". HBA can be a crime committed to protect or defend the "honour" of a family or community.
Savera UK support worker Merfat, sent a message to people going through Honour Based Abuse. She said: “Don't accept it. Calling it out for what it is does not mean that you're not of your own culture.
“You don't need to experience it. You have a right to your own individual life and support is there. Sometimes abuse of power can be normalised.”
She added: "There is a fine line between celebrating culture, and where it becomes a harmful practice. There are those who fear that criticising harmful practices and HBA can be deemed racist.”
Thursday is National Honour-Based Abuse remembrance day as Savera UK has reported a 20% rise in cases over the last year.
If you, or someone you know, is at risk of honour-based abuse, forced marriage, female genital mutilation or other harmful practices, please call Savera UK on 0800 107 0726.
*Names have been changed to protect the victim's identity
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