One afternoon, we received a troubling phone call in our Queens office. The caller reported that there was a young Afghan woman in the park—she was crying and couldn't make herself understood to those trying to help her because she did not speak English. We immediately went to the park, brought her to the WAW office. She said her name was Nadia, and started telling us her story. At just 17, she married her second cousin, a US citizen. Three years later, Nadia finally got her visa and came to the United States. When she arrived, things were not as she planned. Her husband already had a new girlfriend, and he told Nadia that he had only married her and brought her to the US because the family had forced him. He sent Nadia to live with his father and two sisters. Nadia's time with her in-laws was a living hell. She was frequently beaten by her sister-in-law, who also threatened to kill her if she called the police. "She used to beat me up and then she would pick up the phone and tell me that if I told anyone, she would call my father in Kabul," Nadia said. She knew she was trapped: disrespecting her in-laws would bring disgrace on her family. Finally, Nadia was hospitalized after a particularly brutal beating, and the hospital called the police. When they arrived, Nadia was afraid, and lied to them about the source of her injuries. After four nights of hospitalization, she returned to her father-in-law's house, where her sister-in-law now refused to let her enter. And her inlaws didn't just kick her out of their home: they took her greencard, Social Security card, passport and Medicaid card. Nadia was now homeless and nameless; completely vulnerable to the legal system. That's when WAW staff found her in the park. WAW provided Nadia with a safe home for several months. She now takes English classes and is quickly becoming very proficient. We have helped her to find work and housing. We are also helping her navigate the system to replace all of her legal documents. We are excited to continue to support Nadia, and assist her in taking the steps necessary to become self–sufficient and secure in her future.
