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Never Allowed: Ending In-law Abuse in Scotland

In November we launched Never Allowed, our campaign for 16 Days of Action against gender-based violence, conducted in partnership with Syma Ahmed, BME Development Officer at Glasgow Women’s Library. The campaign drew on our research on In-Law Abuse. Throughout out research, the recurring phrase “I was Never Allowed” prompted our digital campaign, highlighting coercive control and abuse that BME women in Scotland have experienced from their in-laws.

In this post we’ve highlighted some common phrases that came up in our research. Watch the Never Allowed short film here.

I was Never Allowed to contact my family

I was never allowed to contact my family.

I was Never Allowed to leave the house without permission

I was Never Allowed to have my own privacy

I was Never Allowed to spend time alone with my husband

I was Never Allowed to keep my own hard-earned money

I was Never Allowed to go a day without massaging my Mother in Law’s feet

I was Never Allowed to rest without completing all the chores

I was Never Allowed to miss a call

I was Never Allowed to eat 3 meals a day

I was Never Allowed to feel good about myself

I was Never Allowed to decide when I wanted children

I was Never Allowed to finish my studies and pursue my dreams

I was Never Allowed to go out with my friends

I was Never Allowed to be unwell without being called a drama queen

I was Never Allowed to give my father in law his medication in his hand, I had to put it in his mouth

I was Never Allowed to live without fear

As Scotland’s leading women’s rights organisation, we aim to advocate to Scottish Government to extend the definition of domestic abuse to include In-Law Abuse. This will help the definition better reflect the experiences of all women in Scotland. Amina aims to encourage dialogue, advocacy, and societal change to end In-Law Abuse, and ensure the safety and rights of Muslim & BME women in Scotland.

If you or someone you know is struggling due to domestic abuse or extended family abuse, please call our Helpline at 0808 801 0301, Monday to Friday, from 10 am to 4 pm.

Amina – the Muslim Women’s Resource Centre is Scotland’s leading women’s rights organisation for Muslim and BME Women. To find out more about our work, read our blog on the key services that we offer. or listen to our podcast. Find out more about our upcoming activities by visiting the events calendar. Our calendar is regularly updated with exciting activities across Scotland.