PLEASE Help! New in USA in abusive relationship

[K1visaHopeful 2,662]

1 hour ago, Russ&MaryAnn said:

Would VAWA act apply to her?

https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-vawa-self-petitioner

I’m not very familiar with it, but there’s a lot of posts about it. Search VAWA. I’m sure others will give you info about it if it applies 

Yes it MIGHT. Depends on the situation with the spouse.

I suggest joining a VAWA group on FB.

Edited August 26, 2019 by K1visaHopeful

[K1visaHopeful 2,662]

3 minutes ago, Georgia16 said:

It will be her words against his... I'm not saying it only has to be physical but you can't  just "tell your story" and then thats fine.

Sometimes you can. DV comes in many forms. Seeking a free DV counselor could help establish if any abuse took place. A counsellor's report could help substantiate that when it came down to evidence. A Police report is not always required.

[Lil bear 3,831]

2 minutes ago, Georgia16 said:

It will be her words against his... I'm not saying it only has to be physical but you can't  just "tell your story" and then thats fine.

DV workers deal with this all the time. 

5 minutes ago, K1visaHopeful said:

Sometimes you can. DV comes in many forms. Seeking a free DV counselor could help establish if any abuse took place. A counsellor's report could help substantiate that when it came down to evidence. A Police report is not always required.

Thank you 

[geowrian 22,335]

I'd like to point out again that VAWA requires "battery/extreme cruelty" by a spouse or parent.

This doesn't appear to apply here due to the abuse by the FIL. The spouse may or may not be engaging in abandonment, but that alone wouldn't be a VAWA issue.

[SalishSea 16,772]

4 hours ago, visawonderer said:

Long story short, he did not want to marry me legally within 90 days. But, under pressure, he did 2 days before expiration date. 

Huh?  Why would you pressure him to marry you, if he did not want to?

 

That screams of a fraudulent marriage.

[JoeMc 151]

If she is being forced to work and is not legally able to do so wouldn't be that be classified as human labor trafficking?

 

https://humantraffickinghotline.org/type-trafficking/human-trafficking

Edited August 27, 2019 by JoeMc

[Nitas_man 3,100]

2 minutes ago, JoeMc said:

If she is being forced to work and is not legally able to do so wouldn't be that be classified as human trafficking?

 

https://humantraffickinghotline.org/type-trafficking/human-trafficking

Thats what I was thinking.  

[Springleaf 37]

 

2 minutes ago, Jorgedig said:

Huh?  Why would you pressure him to marry you, if he did not want to?

 

That screams of a fraudulent marriage.

IMHO, The pressure might be from his parents and not her. Let's not jump to conclusions. 

 

OP, there are organizations which can help women in your position. If you are southasian, http://ashaforwomen.org/ can be a useful resource.

Even if you are not, you can call them and they can get you in touch with organizations that can guide you to get out of this situation.

 

Please document and explain the financially and emotionally abusive situation in order to seek appropriate help.

[SalishSea 16,772]

2 minutes ago, Springleaf said:

 

IMHO, The pressure might be from his parents and not her. Let's not jump to conclusions. 

 

OP, there are organizations which can help women in your position. If you are southasian, http://ashaforwomen.org/ can be a useful resource.

Even if you are not, you can call them and they can get you in touch with organizations that can guide you to get out of this situation.

 

Please document and explain the financially and emotionally abusive situation in order to seek appropriate help.

Does not matter who did the pressuring, if he married under duress, then it is a fraudulent marriage in terms of immigration.

[Boiler 43,436]

May be one of those few cases where an annulment may be in order.

[Lil bear 3,831]

24 minutes ago, JoeMc said:

If she is being forced to work and is not legally able to do so wouldn't be that be classified as human labor trafficking?

 

https://humantraffickinghotline.org/type-trafficking/human-trafficking

Yes it is this also. 

[SunflowerSweet 1,321]

I’ve worked on some human trafficking cases that were eerily similar to what this sounds like and the witnesses qualified and successfully applied for U/T visas. That might be a more realistic angle if VAWA doesn’t work out.

 

https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/victims-human-trafficking-other-crimes

 

Of course, OP has to be comfortable possibly working with the authorities to investigate  prosecute her in-laws, and it’s still not a guarantee. But not doing anything about your status is also not a guarantee and leaves you just as vulnerable and with no real options without spousal support other than VAWA as mentioned before. 

[Nitas_man 3,100]

5 hours ago, visawonderer said:

 

I appreciate any input and help. I am new in the country and don't know what to do. 

 

What do you want to do?  

 

https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/human-trafficking/what-is-human-trafficking.html

 

What you are going through falls under the legal definition of trafficking.  

 

https://sharedhope.org/join-the-cause/report-trafficking/

 

Call the 800 trafficking number, describe your situation, ask for help, watch what happens.

 

Understand that your husband and inlaws will get legally nuked by this.  But from my side I believe we have a responsibility to our spouses that we bring over here.  

 

Good luck

 

 

Edited August 27, 2019 by Nitas_man

[Boiler 43,436]

This is getting weird, must go back and re read the original post.

[Nitas_man 3,100]

13 minutes ago, Boiler said:

This is getting weird, must go back and re read the original post.

Man I boil over these things since the great Valso thread of 2008 LOL