A WOMAN has spoken about her traumatic marriage to a man as his third wife, only to be abandoned because of his children.

Mia, not her real name, says she was the third wife of her husband who had children who were older than her.

She had been married for five years before she moved to the UK from Pakistan.

However, after six months in the UK, her husband’s children made it clear that they wanted the marriage to end.

Mia is now putting her life back together with help from Blackburn women’s refuge Humraaz.

She said: “I was 26 when I got married. He was much older, he was 58.

“His first wife had died and then he got remarried and then divorced.

“His children were openly against their father re-marrying. They were the reason he divorced his second wife.

“Ever since I arrived in the UK, his daughters refused to visit their father. They told him if he got rid of me, then they would come over.

“His daughters are all married, but my husband panicked thinking he would lose them.”

In addition to the animosity and strain caused by her step-children, Mia said her husband did not permit her to leave the house.

“He would tell me if I left the house, I would run away with someone else.

“He wouldn’t even let me speak to his male cousins.

“I don’t know why he was so paranoid.

“He said, ‘women are not for showing off but are meant to stay home.’

“I felt like I was a prisoner.”

Mia said she was only in the UK for six months before her husband attempted to abandon her back in Pakistan under a false pretext.

“My husband told me he was building a property for me in Pakistan and said we would be travelling there together to examine the land.

“I had no reason to doubt him.

“When we got to Pakistan, he dropped me off to my mother’s home saying that he was going to visit his sister for two days in another city. He said he would return straight after.

“He took my passport with him.”

After her husband did not return, Mia rang his sister who revealed he wasn’t there.

“My brother eventually contacted him. I was shocked when I heard what my husband had to say.

“He was already back in the UK.

“He blatantly lied and said that I had misbehaved with him and that was why he left me at home.

“My parents were very upset with me and said I had to go back to him and make the marriage work.

“They said they would suffer ‘beztee’ (dishonour) because of me. I had no choice but to leave Pakistan.”

Through the help of her brother’s friend, Mia managed to get a new passport.

Once she arrived back in the UK, Mia contacted her husband who bluntly told her he didn’t want her back.

Despite this, simply to protect their honour, her parents remained adamant that she return to her husband.

Mia felt she had no choice but to contact the police who got her in touch with Humraaz.

She added: “I felt abandoned by all those closest to me. I was suffering from severe depression and anxiety. I have learnt how to survive because of Humraaz.”

Firoza Mohmed, service manager at Humraaz said: “The burden of honour and shame fell on the woman who entered the marriage arranged by her elders.

“This young woman arrived to the UK into an abusive and controlled relationship, felt abandoned by her family and had no support. This has had an adverse effect on her mental health.”