A French woman who says she was held captive by her husband for nearly 12 years in Pakistan has been rescued along with her five children. The case gained international attention after images of the family following the rescue went viral on social media.
Rescue after son's escape
Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province said 54-year-old Sylvie Yasmina and her children were rescued from a house in Bara, a remote town, after one of her sons managed to escape and alert authorities. Officers found the family in a cramped and "extremely dilapidated" room, with bruises on their bodies. The family has since been moved to a women's shelter in Peshawar and plans to return to France.
Details of alleged abuse
According to BBC Urdu, Yasmina told investigators that what began as a marriage turned into years of isolation and abuse. She alleged that after moving from Australia to Pakistan in 2014, her husband imprisoned the family, preventing them from interacting with the outside world. Police quoted Yasmina as saying she was not allowed to meet anyone and that the two older children were forced to discontinue their education. The three younger children, born in Pakistan, were reportedly never enrolled in school.
"We were deprived of our freedom. My husband didn't take care of us the way he should as a husband and the father of my children. He beats us and put pressure on our lives on a daily basis," Yasmina said in a statement to police, portions of which were published by local media. "I felt that my future was already ruined, the future of the children would also be ruined," she added.
Husband arrested
Authorities said Yasmina married the Pakistani national in Australia in 2003. Police claim the man was residing illegally in Australia when the couple met. The family lived there until 2014 before relocating to Pakistan with their two eldest children. The husband, whose identity has not been disclosed, has been arrested. Police said the allegations remain under investigation.
