The butterfly’s cage: One woman’s fight against family tyranny and marital abuse - Softcover

Khari, Ms Shahnaz; Newton, Mr Chris

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1908223103 ISBN 13: 9781908223104

Publisher: Memoirs Books, 2011

Synopsis

The Butterfly’s Cage, is the heart wrenching, inspiring true story of a young Pakistani woman’s flight to freedom. Suffering familial abuse, tyranny and disownment as a result of refusing to submit to the abuse received by not one but two violent husbands, Shahnaz* opens the doors to a hidden world, illustrating how cultural values can allow human rights violations to prosper and the cost of reputation is integrity, respect and love. Born into a wealthy family with homes in both Britain and Pakistan, she was forced to give up school at the age of 12 in order to care for her younger brothers. There followed two arranged marriages, to a violent, drug addicted, petty criminal and then to a vicious, controlling sadist. Her family ignored her pleas to escape her marital hell, instead casting her as the wicked, immoral daughter whose selfish desires threatened to damage the family’s reputation. After years of abuse and intimidation in both England and Pakistan, Shahnaz fled the family homes to try to start a new life in London with her young daughter only to be lured back to Pakistan under false pretences. Stripped of her possessions and kept under house arrest, Shahnaz was in constant fear of her life for a further 18 months, enduring brutal beatings and diabolical threats to her life. Through her intelligence, courage and unwavering fortitude alone, Shahnaz overcame adversity, won her freedom, her family’s acceptance and now lives in England with her daughter and third husband, embarking on a career in social care. Six years on, wishing to reveal the pain and suffering that can be caused by misguided cultural attitudes and social values, Shahnaz has written her story. *Shahnaz is not her real name – she does not want herself or her family to be identified

About this title

About the Author

Shahnaz Khari is the youngest daughter of a wealthy Pakistani family with homes in two continents. At 12 she was made to give up school to look after her younger brothers. There followed two arranged marriages, first to a violent drug addict, then to a vicious, controlling sadist. When Shahnaz refused to accept the abuse, she was plunged into violent conflict with her family, who condemned her for bringing disrespect on their name by trying to win her independence. They repeatedly assaulted and humiliated her to make her toe the line. After she left her second husband to get away from the beatings, they imprisoned her in her own bedroom. When they later tricked her into joining them in Pakistan she was beaten, stripped of all her possessions, threatened with shooting and drowning and put under house arrest. It was only through her intelligence and extraordinary courage that Shahnaz was eventually able to win her freedom and her family's respect and start building an independent life in England with her daughter and third husband.

Edition details

• Publisher: Memoirs Books
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1908223103
• ISBN 13: 9781908223104
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 100