“I’m the author of my own destiny,” is the mantra of hostage survivor and humanitarian lawyer Rabia Siddique, who shared her raw and personal story at our free IWD 2024 event this week.

700 people from 23 countries tuned into the live virtual event, experiencing an hour of highly personal truth-telling from a remarkable woman who has been through so much.

Rabia spoke of her childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a trusted neighbour, and how she felt voiceless and powerless because societal norms meant victims suffered in shame and secrecy.

“Now we speak of such things in terms of truth-telling and justice,” she says.

·        _“What life-changing experiences have you been through that have informed and shaped you and your values, your purpose, and how you are in your relationships with people?”_ Rabia asked the audience.

Once voiceless and powerless

Rabia became a lawyer and worked with asylum seekers, refugees, indigenous communities, and victims of domestic violence. However, she was drawn to humanitarian law where she could make a difference in countries “where justice and equality were foreign concepts.”

She joined the British military as a legal officer, completing her training in the same week as 9/11 happened.

“I didn’t appreciate my world would change as a result,” she told the audience.

Rabia begins her journey as a lawyer

Major Rabia Siddique was deployed to Iraq in 2005, and, at the request of an Iraqi judge negotiator, was sent into a Basra compound to help secure the release of captured British soldiers.

The judge made the point that Rabia had been chosen because she was the only one who listened to Iraqis deeply, authentically, and with respect.

Negotiations broke down when irate locals stormed the compound and set fire to her army colleagues outside. Terrorist police guards saw Rabia as a traitor and degraded, humiliated and tortured her in front of her captured fellow British colleagues and SAS soldiers.

Held hostage in Iraq

Eventually rescued and taken to safety with her fellow captives, Rabia was faced with another devastating experience. Her male colleagues were given cheers, handshakes, a debriefing, and trauma counselling. Rabia was offered a cup of tea, given a hug, and told to “run along and have a rest.”

By 2006, Rabia said she was almost broken. Her colleague James was awarded the Military Cross and Rabia was given a gag order to never speak about her role in the rescue attempt.

On top of this came a series of personal tragedies and Rabia said the world went dark.

“All I saw was darkness, chaos, misery and pain. Pain is all I felt,” she said.

·        _“When have you been on your knees? When has life felt unjust, painful, or overwhelming?”_ she asked event participants.

Discrimination in action

Rabia said she was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and began her healing process.

She said she finally felt ready to right the wrong and do something positive to enact change.

Rabia mounted a discrimination case against the British Government and, after two years, won the case.

“The win wasn’t in the win, the win was in the lessons on the journey,” she says.

Within a year there began an investigation into the armed forces and led to changes in how minorities are treated in the British military.

Rabia says it shows how “the power of one” can create ripples of change.

The power of one

·        We must choose to confront our realities – accept and respond to this new world

·        We must choose to challenge our perspectives – see the opportunities

·        We must protect hope – focus on the silver linings and believe we can do better

·        We must choose to do things differently – do the uncomfortable, invest in women, accelerate progress.

Raw and personal: Rabia Siddique’s story of resilience

700 mark International Women’s Day 2024 with Growth Faculty

Rabia Siddique

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Stay Inspired

Raw and personal: Rabia Siddique’s story of resilience

700 mark International Women’s Day 2024 with Growth Faculty

Rabia Siddique

Keep informedStay Inspired

Keep informed
Stay Inspired