Zainab, a 23-year-old pregnant woman, was rushed to the police clinic after sustaining severe injuries from her husband’s abuse. The case reached PWAN through one of our Police Duty Solicitor Scheme (PDSS) lawyers stationed at A’ Division police station.
Upon arrival, PWAN immediately filed a complaint with the DPO, which led to the arrest of her husband. By June 30, Zainab’s condition had improved significantly, and doctors confirmed her pregnancy remained intact.
However, the journey to justice met resistance. When PWAN followed up at the station, we were informed that Zainab’s parents had intervened, bailing the perpetrator and requesting the charges be dropped, citing family ties the husband being her cousin. Despite PWAN’s advice and referral to human rights authorities, the family insisted on resolving the matter “in-house.”
Months later, on September 11, 2023, the same mother who once shielded the abuser returned, crying for help: Zainab’s husband had resumed his violent behavior and thrown her out. This time, PWAN stepped in decisively taking the matter to court to seek maintenance for Zainab and to initiate the process of ending the abusive marriage.
Although her family initially insisted on resolving the matter “in-house,” Zainab later admitted the pain she endured in silence:
I suffered too much in that house. Even when I was carrying my baby, he beat me. My family said I should keep quiet because he is my cousin. But the beating did not stop. PWAN carried my matter like their own. They took me to court. For the first time, I feel somebody is fighting for me
At the first court hearing on September 18, 2023, the husband arrived with a lawyer and displayed aggression towards PWAN’s legal team. The judge adjourned the case for ruling on the application filed.
Today, Zainab stands supported not alone on her path to justice. Her story is a stark reminder of the barriers survivors face when family loyalty is placed above safety, and why PWAN’s interventions remain critical in amplifying the voices of women silenced by domestic violence.