Farah was not only opposed to marriage at the age of 18, but she also did not want to undergo a virginity test.
"I didn't know it was a form of abuse.
"I felt shame about something I was forced to do and now I carry that with me," Farah said.
Virginity testing is illegal in the UK, but charities dealing with this form of abuse continue to report such cases.
- Virginity testing: A famous rapper takes his daughter for a hymen test
- "What does the sheet prove after the first wedding night": How ancient customs still haunt women
- The Russian received compensation from the witch doctors who did not "return" his wife
Farah (not her real name) says her mom took her to a doctor whose job it was to "make sure she's clean."
"I was forced into marriage when I was 18, and I was expected to live with my husband's family," she says.
"This is not what I wanted and they knew it. I resisted it until the last moment, but nothing changed,
"If I had known there was help, maybe I would have talked to someone who understood," she adds.
Farah also said that she was humiliated "during the first wedding night when the bloody sheets were shown to her mother-in-law to prove my innocence".
"It's hard to get rid of customs"
Bavso, an organization that supports black and ethnic women, helped seven girls who experienced virginity testing between April and December 2022 and another three who had hymenoplasty, a surgical procedure to restore the integrity of the hymen.
Vanjika Ngoto-Mbugua, interim executive director of Bavs, says the girls they have helped are from Egypt, South Africa, Pakistan, India and Saudi Arabia.
"That's a major issue because Wales has a lot of people who have migrated from those countries that practice virginity testing," explains Ngoto-Mbugua.
"We know that people bring culture and customs and that it is very difficult to get rid of it. Girls who have gone through it are shamed.
"It has not only a psychological effect, but also a physical effect on the girls because it is an attack on their dignity. And checking the hymen is sexual assault."
"These traditions are backward and we must get rid of them. We have to abolish customs that are painful," says Ngoto-Mbugua.
What is virginity testing?
A virginity test is an illegal procedure that involves checking the hymen in the vagina, the aim of which is to determine whether a woman or girl is virgin.
However, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG) say virginity tests have no scientific value or clinical indications.
It states that there is no test that can prove whether a woman has had vaginal intercourse because the hymen can be torn for various reasons, such as tampon use and exercise.
A 2020 BBC investigation found women were being offered controversial "virginity tests" in British medical clinics, with some advertising so-called "virginity repair" - a procedure called hymenoplasty.
Is virginity testing illegal?
It is illegal to carry out, offer or aid and abet virginity testing in the UK from 2022 and anyone convicted faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, with an appropriate fine.
Under the Health and Care Act 2022, UK nationals and residents can be fined if they assist with virginity testing outside the country.
The WHO said that virginity testing is known to be practiced in at least 20 countries.
Virginity tests are considered a violation of human rights, say the WHO and the UN.
Both organizations want to ban them worldwide.
"Women don't know where to turn for help"
Farah is now safe after escaping her abusive environment and moving away from Wales.
But her experiences had a lasting impact and she wanted to share her own story to raise awareness and help other young women who may be facing the same abuse.
"Not many communities will talk about this, but I know a few girls have gone through this but don't know where to turn for help," she says.
The number of women affected by virginity testing in the UK is unknown, as sex-related issues can be taboo in these communities.
Additionally, some people don't recognize it as abuse or don't realize it's illegal, so many don't come forward to report it.
Karma Nirvana, a charity that helps victims of honor-based abuse, has also supported 19 women affected by virginity testing since 2021 and wants to draw attention to the practice as illegal.
Nataša Ratu, director of Karma Nirvana, said she understood the procedure could cause psychological pain and trauma and that women should know virginity tests are not "evidence-based".
The Welsh Government has created guidance for healthcare professionals to help them recognize the signs of this form of abuse.
“I think it's something that doesn't get talked about enough.
"It's not an easy conversation to have, it's quite sensitive and you want to help women and girls talk about this," says Wales' chief nurse Sue Tranca.
Follow us on Facebook,Twitter i Viber. If you have a topic proposal for us, contact us at bbcnasrpskom@bbc.co.uk
Bonus video:
