Impact: Freedom from Forced Marriage and FGM

Sara* was only 16 years old when her father's brothers forced her to become the fourth wife of a 60 year old man. As a precondition to the marriage, Sara was subjected to female genital mutilation against her will. Sara suffered greatly in the marriage, as she was treated badly by her husband and frequently beaten by her co-wives. She attempted to escape Guinea twice, but her husband caught her and began planning a second round of female genital mutilation to punish her. Aided by one of her co-wives, Sara managed to escape and came to the United States in August 2009. With NIJC’s help, Sara was recently granted asylum.

*Name has been changed to protect client's privacy.