The CID came for me in October 2009. My daughter and I were arrested and taken to the 4th Floor in Colombo. I remained in remand for 6 months.

After 10pm at the 4th Floor, you don’t hear men’s voices. It’s only the screaming and crying of women who are being abused by the officers. Having my daughter there meant I did not suffer like they did. They spoke to me in such filthy language; they told me my husband hadn’t come back to the army side and wasn’t at any of the camps.

A CID man used to hit me. In Sinhalese he told me, if they released me, I had to go to all the camps and look for my husband. In April 2010, when I was released, they made it clear that I was never to report what had happened to me. Twice a month, I was asked to come to the 4th Floor. Eventually, I had to stop going because it was too expensive to make the trip. I was scared to go to anyone for fear that they would follow me. I stopped working and began to do small tasks at home, pounding rice flour and spices.

The CID kept calling me until I changed my SIM. A few days later, they would call on the new number. I have changed 19 houses since I was released. They suspect any relative I interact with so I’ve cut off contact from all of them. Since I live alone, and the CID constantly asks after me, people assume that my character is 'not good’.

My husband joined the movement to protect the Tamil people. We have done nothing wrong. The LTTE had a very good system in place. They were good to women and always looked out for their safety.

After the government changed, the army offered me money, a house and said my daughter would be taken care of if I told them 'the truth'. I haven’t even gone for counselling. It will only make things worse.

What I need most is support to carry out self-employment, it’s what a lot of women in my circumstances need. Many of them have been forced into prostitution to earn something but because of my child, I won’t do that."