Funds Needed for Pakistani Friends' Escape

Hi, my name is Sana, and I am fundraising for a friend in Pakistan. She insists on remaining anonymous for her own safety but is in dire need of help and financial assistance to get herself and her family out of her abusive father's control. This is her story:

Given my dire present circumstances, it’d be wise of me to ask for donations in regard to my future—and that of my mum and sister. I’m a woman from Pakistan, and I require urgent aid. The reason is my father: he’s unimaginably abusive (he nearly sold me off at the tender age of 10 to a fellow collogue in the military, something which I didn’t even know was wrong till much later in life as he’s seldom let me out of the house; I’ve spent nearly my entire life indoors, save for the time that I used to go out for receiving an education; and he used to sexually abuse me as a child, along with the terrifying physical, emotional, and psychological abuse that he’s put me through); he’s cut off most of our finances, keeps us in a posh area for his own reputation, but gives us a pittance (95% of the house we live in is practically empty; and what is there is from my mother’s dowry); and to top it off, he’s sexually harassing us now. I spent my days locked in my room when he comes to the house (he comes and goes as he pleases, really; sometimes, he doesn’t come for weeks, and sometimes, he stays for a few months straight); and my mum has seen him masturbating to my younger sister often. She’s in grave danger because of it. Last time, he called her to pick her up from a shop; it was night, and when she reached there, he ran after her (he’d covered his mouth with a cloth). My sister ran from him, weeping. It was when he gathered attention from others that he stopped and told my sister that he was joking, but I know better …

You might ask why I haven’t registered a complaint, then … well, I live in Pakistan; and my father runs a madrassa (a religious school), and he used to serve as an officer in the army. His reputation is iron-clad, and there are many people who’d vouch for his character whilst me, my mum, and sister are the women “he puts up with”. He rejected good proposals that came for me and my sister. Every single one. Without ever asking us. (In Pakistan, it’s the parents that decide this, not the children, especially not women.) I’m in my thirties now (practically long past the expiration date for marriage in my country), and that’s exactly what my father wanted. Why? I can’t say. It’s just one of the many methods he’s used to abuse us. That brings me to the main point: I can’t stay in this country; I want out; and I want to get out fast with my family (my mum and sister; I’ve got a brother, too, but he’s a complete bum, and he’s made our lives even more miserable). My father is well-off, influential, and dangerous. We’re not safe here, and any attempt to sell the property (what little my mum has) is met with extreme antagonism from my father that I fear for her life at this point. (He already forged my mum’s signatures, sold her pension, and other furniture which was from her dowry; and he invested all of that in his own business venture; he owns a gas station, in which my mum has no share, whilst we struggle to make ends meet.) He’s isolated us from everyone. The last time when my mum stood up for me, he tied her dupatta around her neck and dragged her across the room (he told her that he’d create an example out of her; that was about a decade

I’ve got … so many of these incidents to share, but I can’t keep listing them without a reason. I require solid financial support. (I haven’t decided on the amount, but 3000 ought to be fine. I don’t know) $ to be precise, so that I can apply for education in a better country, leave here, and make way for my mum and sister. I’m aware that it’s a lot to ask (maybe too much); but I don’t know how to put this any other way. The sooner we get out of here, the better. I’m disabled and the universities here are hostile to people like me. My sister struggles with her internship job. She can’t keep supporting me forever. My mum’s ill. I want to help them, too. Please, I implore you all to donate as much as you can afford to donate. Any amount would help. I need this—my family needs this! I thank you all for your compassion and generosity.

In October, I started a Paypal fundraiser that unfortunately only lasted a month. We were only able to raise $197 that month. Since then, most of the donations have gone to my friend's kofi-account which you could access here: https://ko-fi.com/themaskedmufti

Please check out her content! She is a magnificent writer!

She currently has a short story she's selling in her shop, half of which is going to her friend who is trying to escape. Please buy it and check out her writing!

This is all we've done so far to help. I'm looking for other ways. It's been 7-8 months since she reached out and we want to try and get as much as we can as soon as possible. So please donate and share this post with family and friends and anyone in your community who can help.