_When Solara’s sister got married, she was thrilled for her. But her brother-in-law was not who he seemed...
_
Watching my sister glide into the grand hall in her white wedding dress, I thought how beautiful she looked.
While I was thrilled for Savannah, 26, to be starting a new chapter, there was a lump
in my throat too.
Growing up in Saudi Arabia, we’d been more like best friends than sisters.
Savannah was four years older, and I looked up to her.
She was bright and went on to work in medical engineering.
But after her wedding, she’d be joining her groom Sediq in
the UK.
‘I don’t want you to leave,’ I said to her tearfully.
‘You can visit and stay as
long as you like,’ she said, hugging me.
Sediq, my new brother-in-law, seemed like a good guy and, as was the norm in our Islamic culture, he’d been introduced to Savannah by family friends.
After she moved, we kept in touch via video calls.
But I started to notice things that worried me.
Savannah liked to go out with her friends, but Sediq wanted her to stay at home.
He asked her to shut down her social media accounts, and also insisted she wear the niqab, which covered the entire face apart from the eyes.
It seemed controlling, but
my sister would insist
everything was fine.
A few months
later, Savannah called me and my family on FaceTime.
‘I’ve got a surprise,’ she beamed. ‘I’m pregnant.’
There were whoops of delight.
‘I wish I could hug you,’ I said.
A few months later, Sediq suggested I join them in the UK and make a fresh start.
I was tempted, but I didn’t want to leave my friends and family behind.
‘Then just come for a while to help your sister,’ he said.
I agreed, and a few weeks later, I said goodbye to my loved ones and got on the plane.
At first, Sediq was warm and friendly. But soon, his demeanour changed. He didn’t like it if I brought friends to the house.
'You're sleeping with him!'
Then one time, he adjusted his bathrobe in front of me and I saw he wasn’t wearing boxers.
Had he flashed me on purpose? I wondered in shock.
After that, I tried to avoid him.
A few months on, I got a place at college. It meant staying in another city during the week,
and then coming back to Savannah and Sediq’s at the weekend.
One day, a friend suggested setting me up with someone she knew.
‘I’m not interested right now,’ I insisted.
But she gave me his number anyway, and we started talking.
I told him I only wanted to be friends, but one day, he turned up at my shared house.
Suddenly, he snatched my phone from me and slipped it into his pocket.
He kept asking me why I didn’t want a relationship.
My marriage had only recently ended.
‘I’m not divorced yet,’ I said, on edge.
Suddenly, he
came towards me
and pushed me.
Frightened, I told him
to give me back my phone
and leave.
As I looked at the screen,
I froze. I realised the guy had accidentally pocket-dialled Sediq, the last person who’d called me.
Sediq had heard everything.
I ended the call, then collapsed on the floor in tears. I was worried that Sediq would tell my family I’d been alone with another man while I was still married.
Just then, he video-called me.
‘You’re sleeping with him!’ he raged, saying I’d brought dishonour on the family.
‘No, that’s not true,’ I pleaded.
Then he demanded that I go into my bedroom and show him who was there.
‘Your sister heard, and she’s
so upset, she might miscarry,’
he said.
My heart hammered in fear.
Savannah was eight months pregnant and I didn’t want her to be stressed.
‘There’s no one here,’ I said.
He told me to pack my things, and then he and Savannah would come over and take me back to their place.
‘I’ve recorded the call,’ he said, chillingly.
A couple of hours later, Sediq called me from my sister’s phone.
‘We’re outside,’ he said.
I opened the door, expecting to see both of them, but only Sediq was there.
Maybe Savannah’s in the taxi, I thought.
Before I knew it, Sediq had barged past and was in
the house.
‘I’ll help you with your luggage,’ he said, marching up
to my room.
Once inside, he closed the door and sat on my bed.
‘Can you explain what happened with that guy?’ he said.
I said it had all been innocent, but he
shook his head.
‘You were sleeping together!’ he shouted.
He stood up, towering over me.
Then, he lunged towards me and pulled my leggings down.
I was horrified
as he hastily tore down his boxers
and desperately tried to force his penis inside me.
‘You’re my brother-in-law,’ I cried.
Somehow, I managed to fight him off.
Afterwards, he acted as if nothing had happened.
Running out of the room, I saw my housemate.
‘He tried to rape me!’ I sobbed.
Shutting myself in the bathroom, I rubbed at my skin.
When I came out, my housemate told me she’d called the police.
I was scared of what my brother-in-law would do, but
it was too late – they were on their way.
When officers questioned him, though, he denied everything.
‘I was just visiting,’ he smirked.
One of the police officers took me away from Sediq.
'What will I say to my sister?'
There, I poured out exactly what he’d done.
She told me
he would be
arrested, and
that they would
take my statement.
It was my
first time inside a police station, and
I was scared.
They took DNA samples
and interviewed me.
I felt ashamed, although I
knew it wasn’t my fault.
What will I say to my sister?
I thought.
It was tough, but I knew I had to tell her the truth.
‘I don’t know who to believe and need time to think things over,’ she said.
It hurt, but I understood he was the father of her unborn child and she was torn.
Thankfully, the rest of my family believed me.
And, over time, Savannah came round.
But there was still a distance between us.
Meanwhile, Sediq
claimed that I’d wanted to sleep with him.
I couldn’t believe the lies he was spewing.
I focused on my family, including my new little niece, and tried to block out everything that had happened.
Only, I suffered with nightmares and had to drop out of college.
I feared men and became a shadow of myself.
Almost four years
later, Sediq Ali, 34, appeared at Minshull
Street Crown Court in Manchester, where he denied attempted rape.
I insisted on having a screen to give evidence because I couldn’t bear to see his face.
I was terrified, but Savannah came with me.
One of the police officers on my case held my hand before I walked into the courtroom.
‘You can do this,’ she said, supportively.
Even though I couldn’t see Sediq, I could feel his presence, and shivered,
A few days later, the detective called me.
‘I’ve got good news,’
he said. ‘Sediq Ali has been found guilty.’
He was jailed for six years.
I felt a mixture of relief that
I’d been believed, and disappointment that he didn’t
get longer in prison.
That night, I was able to sleep deeply for the first time since the attack.
Now, my sister and I are building bridges.
I’ll never understand why Sediq put me through such a degrading ordeal.
He lost his whole family and ruined so many lives. I’m so glad he can’t hurt anyone else.
Solara, 27
● Solara and Savannah’s names have been changed.
● Solara has partially waived her right to anonymity.
Photo credit: Greater Manchester Police/Shutterstock