I miss my husband

ity which conducted research on victims of sexual violence who are referred to as Boko Haram “wives” at refugee camps in north-east Nigeria, has previously told The Independent how it encountered at least one woman during its research who did not see herself as a victim.

Reuters said Ali kept her gaze downcast throughout the interview this week, only relaxing and lifting her head when her child was brought in to the room to be breast-fed.

The interview came just days after Boko Haram released a video showing a masked man standing in front of a group of the Chibok girls, saying some of their classmates had been killed in air strikes.

It is not known how many of the girls themselves are still alive. Only 59 of the 276 schoolgirls initially taken have been confirmed as having escaped, all but Ali and one other within days of their kidnap.

And while Ali had not heard about the video, she said Boko Haram had told the abducted girls that everyone was looking for them.

“I think about them a lot – I would tell them to be hopeful and prayerful,” Ali said. “In the same way God rescued me, he will also rescue them.”

Charities like International Alert say the victims of Boko Haram face becoming victims all over again when they escape, such is the stigma against them in the wider Nigerian populace.

Asked about her ambitions for the future, Ali said: “I just want to go home – I don’t know about school. I will decide about school when I get back, but I have no idea when I will be going home.” – The Independent