Jenn Bravo is service manager for Sahara, a Leeds charity which helps vulnerable women and children to escape violence at home.Sahara is the Urdu and Hindi word for 'support'.

Lonely death of Oakwood bride amid the silence: Click here to read the background on the circumstances surrounding the death of Oakwood's Sabia Rani.

'Bossy' mother-in-law and a family shunned: Click here to read more.

Ms Bravo has seen many young brides like Sabia Rani, recent arrivals from Pakistan and India, come through her doors in the past six years.
Although reluctant to comment specifically on Sabia Rani's case, Ms Bravo admits the teenager's treatment was "unacceptable".

She believes the guilty verdict on Phullan Bibi and her family has sent out a clear message that "families cannot stand by and allow this to happen".

But she also believes many more women like Sabia are "slipping through the net".

"There are a large number of women who have little recourse to public funds," she told the YEP.

"These are likely to be women who have come over as brides and are subjected to violence. Fear is a big factor in the lives of these women.These women will find it difficult to access accommodation, support and benefits."

Ms Bravo, pictured, stressed cultural factors had to be dealt with "sensitively" but at the same time "cultural dimensions should not be an excuse for violence against women".

"A problem does exist as some of these women's lives are not valued, and women are viewed as a commodity to be used as men and their families see fit.

"(Dealing with it] is a collective responsibility, for all agencies and all communities, all authorities and the Government . Legislation is needed and enforcement of the legislation is fundamental.

"Work with individual communities and local groups is a start. This work is already being done but continued campaigning and awareness raising and productive and sensitive media coverage is needed."

Victims of abuse come to Sahara from a variety of home situations, some via agency referral, others via their family or through taking their own courageous first steps to freedom.

Shockingly, says Ms Bravo, some of Sahara's clients experience more violence from their in-laws than their actual husbands.

"Some women describe situations where in-laws encourage husbands to be abusive and violent to keep them in line," she reveals. This idea of keeping a new bride 'in line' has often been linked, again, with the concept of honour in some small pockets of the Asian community.

Sahara offers a refuge hostel, language support, healthcare and legal advice, counselling, and help into long-term accommodation. It also offers a drop-in surgery and one-to-one visits at home.