Om Khalid, now 25 years old, was accused of adultery after being sexually abused by a man in her village. As an orphan in Yemen, with no family to support her, she was jailed while the perpetrator was set free. She was then sexually abused several times by three policemen during the interrogation. After being assisted by ‘The Protection of the Rights of Female Inmates and Juvenile Offenders’ project, who provided her with legal support, she was released. The project, implemented by the Abu Musa Social Charitable Association in Yemen, with technical support and advocacy training from Progressio's Development Workers, aims to increase awareness of the rights of women and juveniles in prison, as well as provide vocational training to help increase their chances of re-integration in the society, once they are released.
During Om Khalid's imprisonment, she also received psycho-social support from Abu Musa and partners, and after her release she visited Abu Musa’s Office, where she participated in sewing and handicraft trainings conducted by Abu Musa’s Women section. She is now a trainer for the association and has been involved in project activities.
During one of the project events at the government yard, Om Khalid stood up and bravely approached the Hodeidah Governor and the gathering saying:
"Brother Mr. Hassan Haig, ladies and gentlemen, I hope you will listen to me from your minds and hearts. I would like to present all the sufferings and assaults I encountered during and after my imprisonment. My story begins when I was accused of adultery, after I was sexually abused by a man in my village. As I was an orphan with no caring family to support me, I was jailed and the perpetrator set free. During those difficult times I prayed to Allah.
After months of imprisonment, I didn’t want to get released due to the stigma and discrimination I would encounter from society. I heard a lot of sad stories among imprisoned girls and women, of the troubles they and their friends faced inside the prison, and also after being released. One of our fellow inmates was rejected by her family after she got out, and then found nowhere to go with her child whom she delivered in prison. Her child died later, as she couldn’t provide him with medical care. In desperation, she prayed to Allah to take her soul. A month later she passed away.
"After being released, my family rejected me. I stayed with one of my friends, but was asked to go from there too, due to the fear of people talking. I remembered the Abu Musa Al-ashary Association, who had been kind with me during my imprisonment, and who are now my family. I have been trained on sewing, making Bakhoor “