It’s not every day that a group of arranged/forced marriage survivors descends on Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari to get a break from their troubles. But that’s what happened today, when Unchained hosted its first outing for Unchained women and girls and for their children.
All told, 28 people (and one puppy) joined the trip to Six Flags, including some young women for whom the trip meant a respite from the domestic violence shelter where they live.
For two of the forced marriage survivors who attended – a woman from Ivory Coast and a woman from Iran – this was their first visit to a theme park. For most members of the group, this was the first time a giraffe walked right up to them to say hello.
“The weather was gorgeous; the energy was fantastic,” Fraidy Reiss, Unchained’s executive director, said. “And watching the survivors and their children interact with each other, crossing religious and language barriers, was overwhelming.”
Unchained and the brave women and girls it helps are grateful to the Good People Fund for generously sponsoring the entire Six Flags trip, including the park tickets, the chartered bus and the delicious pizza dinner.
Stay tuned for news of the next Unchained outing …