A PUPPET, I WAS.
"I felt completely worthless – like an
object, instead of a human being.” –Ayesha*
Ayesha, not her real name suffered from rape
and abuse not from people she does not know, but from people whom she thought
would be there to support and protect her.
Ayesha was a girl who had dreams of her own,
but at a very young age, it was all taken away from her. She was trapped. She
wasn’t able to escape. She never had the chance to speak for herself. It’s like
the darkness consumed her. She knew that she no longer owned herself. She was
being controlled by her family, her religion, her culture and all she wanted to
do was to break free and taste the life that always dreamed of.
Coming from a very traditional family, Ayesha
was never allowed to dress up the way she wanted, to be with friends she chose
to be with and even go to parties. She was young and so she thought not doing
these things made her miss out the world.
It even came to the point where she ran away
from home. Her parents lied to her, telling her that her sister has a tumor and
that she needed to come home to see her. Her parents threatened even her
friends just to make sure that they stay away from her. One of his relatives
even strangled her and told that he’d be happy to serve years in prison for
killing her for the shame she’s brought to the family for running away.
When her family decided to have a vacation at
their hometown, Pakistan, one of her aunts said that she’s coming back to UK a
married woman. She felt nervous and afraid hearing those words, but her father
had told her that it was going to be a vacation. Nothing more. She was relieved
knowing that her parents would never lie to her. She is their daughter, right?
When they arrived, a distant relative of her
father went to their house and eventually left after some time. When they were
gone, this shocking news came banging on Ayesha’s face saying “you’re going to
be a married woman”. It was replaying in hear head and she could not do
anything about it. She was afraid. She felt betrayed, worthless.
On the day she married a distant relative, she
cleared things out with him. She told her that she wanted to know him first
before they do it. The man refused. She was raped. She was robbed. The man
thought that it’s his right. He thought that she was his property and that he
could do it whenever he wanted to.
She was often hit by her husband and she couldn’t do anything. Whenever she tried to call the cops, something would always pop in her head telling her that what’s happening between them is not the business of the cops. She always kept in mind the shame she would be bringing to the family even though she knew she was no longer happy. There were times when she would go to her parents’ with a bruise on her face, but all she would get was, “What did you say to provoke him?”. The first person she thought would be very much concerned about her was not there. She was alone.
Until one day, it hit her. She decided to be free. She went to her friend, Steve* who was a friend of hers for a very long time and the moment they met each other, they clicked. Their friendship became a secret for many years. She was trapped. She was a puppet for many years and now she’s doing something for herself. She was escaping from hell. She did what she had to do and packed as many things as she could and ran away.
She was often hit by her husband and she couldn’t do anything. Whenever she tried to call the cops, something would always pop in her head telling her that what’s happening between them is not the business of the cops. She always kept in mind the shame she would be bringing to the family even though she knew she was no longer happy. There were times when she would go to her parents’ with a bruise on her face, but all she would get was, “What did you say to provoke him?”. The first person she thought would be very much concerned about her was not there. She was alone.
Until one day, it hit her. She decided to be free. She went to her friend, Steve* who was a friend of hers for a very long time and the moment they met each other, they clicked. Their friendship became a secret for many years. She was trapped. She was a puppet for many years and now she’s doing something for herself. She was escaping from hell. She did what she had to do and packed as many things as she could and ran away.
Now, she’s living with Steve. She now has her
own family. She’s happily living. She still manages to visit her family once in
a while because she thought that whatever they did to her in the past, they’re
still family. The one thing she was always afraid to do when she was young, was
the one thing that saved her from dying. It was to break the chains.
Forced marriage is now considered a crime but it is culture, tradition, and beliefs that keep this from happening still. It is “bringing honor to the family” that keeps these events from happening. Though every one of us has a choice, that is, to live the life we want to, there will always be factors – cultural, traditional, society, etc. – affecting this decision of ours.
Forced marriage is now considered a crime but it is culture, tradition, and beliefs that keep this from happening still. It is “bringing honor to the family” that keeps these events from happening. Though every one of us has a choice, that is, to live the life we want to, there will always be factors – cultural, traditional, society, etc. – affecting this decision of ours.
Group 2
Feby Andrea Laroco
Isabella Herreria
Dally Delos Santos
Danna Ruiz
Rensea Mae De Vera
Anna Mae Alamag
Jeska Nicole Cabiles
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