LAUREL, SOUTH AFRICA

I genuinely wish that I didn't marry my current husband. And the only reason I went ahead with marrying him was because I needed to move out of my fathers' house. Although he was quite irresponsible while we were married, an alcoholic for that matter but I really loved him. Plus I thought marriage would make him more responsible but the truth is, it made him only worse and I have to carry that burden. I'm pretty much worn out of energy and tired.

I remember last year, I went for a fibroid surgery which was a pretty much daunting experience for me. This man didn't come to check up on me during this process and the only people that were around was my best friend and my family. After getting discharged, I started hearing rumors, this man started sharing rumors that the surgery was because I had an abortion. I couldn't believe my ears at first and the reason he started with the rumors was because he wanted to be intimate with me in which I declined because I hadn't fully healed. He has brought me so much shame and pain, I hate him so much even though I live under the same roof with him.

CYNTHIA, DIASPORA

To be very honest, I've grown to hate anything that has to do with relationship or marriage. If I can go back in time, I'd have been a reverend sister and I won't get married at all. I'm currently divorced and my ex is the reason I'm still in therapy. He was my university boyfriend that graduated to being my husband and he was a serial cheat. He's the reason I'm still in therapy. I've been through so much and I hate it. I love that this new generation of women are demanding for the best from men, this was something I wished I knew about back in the days, or would I say, maybe I was simply in my pick me era.

I have only one child and my ex husband infected the both of us with HIV. I think about the hurt everyday and I cannot get over it because it stings. Before marriage, we dated for seven years, engaged for two years before we eventually got married. I still cannot believe that I wasted most of my years on that nobody.

AMINA, NIGERIA

I didn't date my husband for too long because he was my sugar daddy. We only dated for three months and then I got pregnant. We went back and forth on me terminating the pregnancy but it was something I was unwilling to do. At the end of the day, we did our nikkah and I kept the baby, who's going to be three this year by the way. While we were running things, he was very goo to me and he took care of me very well.

I wont lie, he's a very flawed man as I am too but we're trying to make the marriage work. Although, I'm his third wife, the boat is still steady. He takes care of me and my child. I love so much too.