I came to the UK from north Africa after marrying a man who was much older than me. From the start, things weren’t what I had hoped for. I had no home of my own—we kept moving between his family’s houses—and I was completely dependent on him. He was verbally and emotionally abusive, controlling every part of my life. I wasn’t allowed to make friends, learn English, or even register with a GP. He even attended my appointments, using my lack of English as an excuse to control what I knew and who I spoke to.
He refused to give me any financial support, and I didn’t know if he was claiming any benefits for our son. He threatened me that if I asked for our own home or tried to stand up for myself, he would take my son away and send me back to Algeria, saying they were British, and I wasn’t.
Things got worse when he became physically violent. On two occasions, he hurt me, and in the last incident, his sister pushed me out of the house, and the whole family took my son from me. I was left outside, scared and alone, until my sister negotiated to bring my son back. She helped me escape to London, where I stayed with her for four months. Because I had No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), I was very vulnerable and didn’t know what to do next.
Thankfully, my sister contacted help line, who referred me to KMEWO due to language need. From my first meeting with KMEWO, my life started to change. They helped me get support from Children’s Social Services, who arranged temporary accommodation for me and my son. KMEWO also helped me access an immigration solicitor and apply for the MVDAC, which gave me some legal protection and rights to apply for benefit.
They supported me to register with a GP, where I began treatment for severe depression caused by the trauma I had endured. I was also referred to counselling in Arabic, which helped me heal and regain confidence.
With KMEWO’s ongoing support, I was able to start attending support groups and their activities. They also helped me secure a parenting agreement through a family solicitor to protect my relationship with my son.
Now, I live in a safe, temporary accommodation with my son. I feel stronger, more confident, and hopeful for the future. Without KMEWO, I don’t know where I would be. They helped me find my voice and take control of my life again.