He beats you, he loves you.
“We woke up in a room filled with flames and smoke.”
Name: Bushra, Rihana, Parveen and Mary
Age: 16-23
When their parents were out the boys came and knocked on our door, and pestered us. They wanted to have sex with us. Of course we said no, but we couldn’t lock our door.
Early one morning, the brothers opened the gas pipe to our room and threw in a lighted match. It started a fire and we ran out. The room was filled with smoke and flames. The floor was so hot our feet were badly burned. Everything we owned burned up, but we survived. The neighbours took us to the hospital where they treated our acute injuries. But now, when we’ve tried to get help to have plastic surgery on our burned feet and hands, we have to pay privately – 35,000 rupies (400 USD) for each hand and 50,000 rupies (575 USD) for each foot. We’ll never be able to afford that.
Everything we owned burned up, but we survived.
At least eight people saw the boys running away from the house just when the fire started, but those witnesses have suddenly disappeared. We know that the boys’ parents have paid bribes to the police and the investigation has been closed. They say the fire was an “accident”.