‘Devil has returned’: Divorced Afghan women forced back to abusive ex-husbands by Taliban

In Afghanistan, nine in 10 women will experience physical, sexual or psychological violence from their partner, according to the UN’s mission in the country

Under the previous US-backed government, divorce rates rose in some cities, but lawyers say several women have reported being dragged back into abusive marriages

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Marwa, who was abused for years by her ex-husband, has retreated into hiding with her eight children. Photo: AFP

Published: 7:30pm, 6 Mar 2023

Abused for years by her ex-husband who broke all of her teeth, Marwa has retreated into hiding with her eight children after Taliban commanders tore up her divorce.

Marwa was one of a small number of women who, under the previous US-backed government, were granted a legal separation in Afghanistan, where women have next to no rights and domestic abuse is endemic.

When Taliban forces swept into power in 2021, her husband claimed he had been forced into the divorce and commanders ordered her back to his clutches.

“My daughters and I cried a lot that day,” said Marwa, 40, whose name has been changed for her own protection. “I said to myself, ‘Oh God, the devil has returned’.”

Marwa fled hundreds of kilometres to a relative’s house with her eight children, who have all assumed fictitious names. Photo: AFP

The Taliban government adheres to an austere interpretation of Islam and has imposed severe restrictions on women’s lives that the United Nations called “gender-based apartheid”.

Lawyers say several women have reported being dragged back into abusive marriages after Taliban commanders annulled their divorces.