Support for forced marriage survivors, the Universal Truth way
Everything we do is based on direct and first-hand experience of forced marriage. Here’s why lived experience matters.
Are you at risk of forced marriage, or know someone who is? In this situation it’s best to contact the Forced Marriage Unit to get support. The phone number is 0207 008 0151. If you’re in immediate danger, call 999.
Our focus is to help young girls and women rebuild their lives after living through Forced Marriage and honour-based violence.
Everything we do is informed and shaped by our founder, Nyla Khan (pictured above), who has first-hand experience of forced marriage.
As a survivor, her life mission is to educate and support individuals, organisations, and society about this exploitative and illegal practice.
Using her personal experience, Nyla inspires women transitioning from this abusive situation by sharing her story and providing a safe place through Universal Truth’s services.
Support is delivered through one-to-one programmes, group workshops, and speaking events. See more about these services.
Lived experience is vital to our work. It matters for many reasons, not least of which is that Nyla knows the nuances and complexities of dealing with forced marriage.
Empathy and compassion are, of course, important, but it can only take us so far.
By merely claiming to understand what others are going through, we risk offering misguided advice and solutions.
The effortless understanding and the non-judgmental nature lived experience offers is what makes Universal Truth’s services so valuable.
This is evident because the women we help:
Realise they’re not defined as victims and, by re-learning their power, they can live a purposeful and happy life.
Regain their confidence and rebuild their lives. This often means they go on to secure the jobs they want and achieve financial independence.
Understand there are others in similar situations and can forge a sense of community and support.
Acquire self-confidence and feel safe to speak up for themselves, recognise and report abusive behaviours, and become role models for the future generations of girls.
There’s no community more effective and positive than a group of people who have gone through the exact same experiences as each other.
By building ongoing relationships based on deep understanding and first-hand knowledge we help the survivors rebuild their lives. They trust us and call upon us when needed.
Nyla has also developed a support package for any organisation wanting to increase awareness and knowledge on the issue of forced marriage. The Diplomatic Dialogue workshops help professionals overcome race anxiety through open conversation based on compassion, curiosity, and evidence from lived experience.
Discover more about forced marriage, the warning signs, and more by browsing our blogs.