That is the life I am leaving.

My name is Cecilia, I am the fourth child in a family of five. I had my child when I was 17 years. I started dating at a very young age because of the poverty at home. My mother could not afford to buy me clothes.  Teachers at my school used to give me clothes which were all too big in size but helped as they were all I had at that time. I would fill up my shoes with papers so that I could at least walk properly in them. I was my friend’s laughing stock. I feel pregnant and my family forced me to go stay with the father of my baby’s family.

He paid lobola and took me in as his wife but soon after we moved in together he started physically abusing me. He would kick me, stab and beat me up whenever he felt like it. At one point he promised to burn me. When I told my parents, they told me he is the father of my child there is nothing wrong with all that he was doing to me. His family went to the police saying I am making mockery of their family. When I wanted out of the relationship, his family told me they want their lobola money back. I feel trapped and forced to stay in an abusive relationship because my family will not take me back and I have nowhere else to run to.