Sitaia | Chartwell, Waikato

**This story refers to sexual violence. For specialised help, with any issues relating to sexual harm, contact Safe to talk: 0800 044 334 or text 4334**

“When I was in my country, we didn’t have much money.  We were poor. I couldn’t educate over there, and now, today I’m here at Hamilton Girls’ High School. I study here, and I can say that my education is getting really good. So, my country is Afghanistan but I was born in Pakistan, and I grew up there. I lived there for almost 10, 11 years, then we came to New Zealand in 2016.

So when we were in Pakistan, we were poor, and we didn’t have much money, and there were big dangers there in Pakistan. Girls couldn’t go out after 12 or 10 at night, because there’s a lot of drunk people. Especially boys. They will rape the other girls, and it is dangerous for us. Actually one of my friends, they were coming from a wedding. It was like 11 at night, and it was only her mum, her and her little sister. So there were a lot of drunk guys over there. So, they stole all of their jewelleries, money and they raped them. 

So, in New Zealand, I wanted to be a manager and I’m studying management right now, and I feel more safe in New Zealand than Pakistan.

In the future, I want to save up some money, so that I can help the poor people because I know how they feel when they’re hungry, and they don’t have much money, and they can’t afford to give their rent and stuff. I want to help them get a house, or furniture or something. Because I’ve been in that situation, and I know how it feels to be in that kind of situation, and I know how it feels when someone helps us, and gives us some money, or buy us something.”