The Locked Room: Priya’s Escape from Her Own Home

Priya was 26 when she got married — a love marriage, full of promises and poetry.

Her husband, Rohan, was charming. Well-spoken. Everyone said she was lucky. But charm fades fast when it turns into control. First, he asked her to leave her job. Then, he monitored her phone. Slowly, her world began to shrink — from offices and outings to the four walls of their one-bedroom apartment in Lucknow.

The abuse didn’t begin with fists.

It began with words:
“You’re useless.”
“Who would love you except me?”

Then came the slaps. The silence. The bruises covered with foundation. The lies told to neighbors. And worst of all, the shame.

Priya thought about leaving — many times. But society reminded her, “Shaadi nibhaani padti hai.” And she tried. Until one night, Rohan locked her in the bedroom for 18 hours because she spoke to her friend on the phone too long.

That night, in the suffocating silence, she broke.

The next morning, when he left for work, she packed a small bag, took her savings hidden inside a shampoo bottle, and left.

She didn’t go to her parents — she knew they’d ask her to adjust. Instead, she went to a local women’s shelter whose helpline she had secretly noted down months ago. The staff didn’t ask her why she stayed. They asked her what she wanted to do next.

For the first time in years, someone asked her.

Today, Priya works as a digital marketing freelancer. She also volunteers at the same shelter that once gave her a mattress, a meal, and the courage to rebuild.

She says, “I left with nothing but myself — and that was enough.”

Why This Story Matters

Millions of women like Priya suffer in silence due to societal pressure, financial dependency, and emotional manipulation. Their survival is not just about escape — it’s about reclaiming identity.