I came to UK in 1980. My journey to come to UK it was really tough. And I came as married. I married then within one year, I had premature baby. And my in law from India and harassed me lots and lots and lots. Hit me, took my things away, they took my passport away, I had got nobody to support me. My cousin brother who helped me out from the mess. And I'll tried to escape from the house. I was living in Leeds 11 and they locked me in the house. So I couldn't go out. My mother in law, my brother in law and my sister in law, they come from India, and they want hot food and I have to make it and if I can't do it, then they hit me and they put hot water on me a couple of times.

At that time I could not speak English. Because I just came arrived in UK, I think when I was only about 17 and a half year old. Since then, I came to my cousin's house stayed there for one year. And because they have their own business, and my aunt, the family also, so anyway, I'll have to move on so so they put me into a hostel. So I stayed two and a half years, with my little one who's very premature born and he's got heart problem. So with the life of that, it's so difficult. I don't know who to turn to, I don't know what to do to try and try again. I think one day, this is not me. I want to move on, I want to do things.

So I was getting my house with my son, live there for nine years. I don't want to get married, but somebody is recommended to get married. And my son hasn't seen his father. So he thinks my second husband is a role model to him. And we marry but it doesn't work that way. And it was like I couldn't say this marriage is a failure... but he's got a drinking problem. And he's got a violent problem. I got for nine years torture from him and things. And that one day, he's pushed me from the top to bottom and hit my kids. I lost my temper. And he was a strong hitter. I didn't know what to do so my oldest son called help and then police came to take him away. Then this had a stay order with him to me and since then we were separated.

I had a budget for life which any Indian won't do. For any Indian in a community it's like a stigma to kick your husband out from the family and your life but I'm taking it for sake of my kids. My kids is first because the two children - I had a son from him and my older one from my first marriage. So this is my journey, but it doesn't stop there. I have gone through all the social services, domestic violence, everything. And my kids want together as a husband and wife so we made a compromise and because of them, we are together today with him.

My kids are older today and they are very good educated people and then they had a good degree also. My daughter is an ASP nurse in Leeds Technical hospital, my son is a Border Force UK in Birmingham and my older one doing computer web designer and IT so the kids had a good job and good life. So I'm proud of to be model and I raised them and I give what I can give to my kids and I understand very of the UK perspective of the leaving because my husband still is like in very old fashioned Indian man. I have to still tackle but I live with it and today because I had this because of that all happening I was suffering from mental health but different mental health phobias from 22 years now but I went to Malham House for five years to continue to help after my first baby. There was very nice people, but the way the people behave there, they have like their own community groups: Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Bangladeshi, they do activities together and go to their own hurt.

At my assessment I've told her I don't like this sort of the behavior of the people doing it. I want to do something because I saw what I don't want to suffer and people listen. Because what I face in community I don't want other people to face it. So I say to her let's reopen that group. We all open the group together right since 2004. And now to see it running, separate from other groups. We are doing very well to groups and help wellbeing to other ladies and I know what Indian woman needs in the community. And I help with what is at hand if they can't speak or write the letter or make a doctor appointment and things. I do it myself for them, I give my time. This is my story. Way back from India to UK.

I struggled a lot but today I'm happy to God, thankful to God because I've done everything. I've learned because I don't know how to read a book or write a full sentence but now I can read much better. I can read / write some story but not fully in a way but sentence or maybe a few lines or something or a call, an email to somebody or technology or like you know, I've learned everything from it. I can read a good book nowadays you know I've got so lovely books my daughter gave to me. And that's changed my identity like you know how to behave because as Indian I'm a little pond always on a little pond like swim on a little pond and never go out to sea. I've explored everything I went every like when since I opened the group because every opportunity I can get to like a training or a course or something like that. You always go and try to myself I want to achieve something and I've got a lot of health issues but so I put that to one side.