Nchini Iran, ubikira kabla ya ndoa ni muhimu kwa wasichana wengi na familia zao. Wakati mwingine wanaume hudai cheti cha ubikira, jambo ambalo Shirika la Afya Duniani (WHO) linaona ni kinyume na haki za binadamu.
"Ulinidanganya nikuoe kwa sababu wewe si bikra. Hakuna mtu ambaye angekuoa ikiwa angejua ukweli."
Hivi ndivyo mume wa Maryam alivyomwambia baada ya kufanya mapenzi kwa mara ya kwanza.
Alijaribu kumhakikishia kwamba, ingawa hakutoka damu, hakuwahi kufanya ngono hapo awali. Lakini hakumwamini, akamwomba apate cheti cha ubikira.
Hili si jambo la kawaida nchini Iran. Baada ya kuchumbiwa, wanawake wengi huenda kwa daktari na kupata kipimo kinachothibitisha kuwa hawajawahi kufanya ngono.
Walakini, kulingana na WHO, upimaji wa ubikira hauna sifa za kisayansi.
Cheti cha Maryam kilisema kwamba aina yake ya kizinda ilikuwa "ya elastic". Hii ina maana kwamba anaweza asitoke damu baada ya kujamiiana kupenya.
"Iliniumiza kiburi. Sikufanya chochote kibaya, lakini mume wangu aliendelea kunitukana," alisema. "Sikuweza kuinywa tena, kwa hivyo nilichukua vidonge na kujaribu kujiua."
Baada ya muda, alipelekwa hospitalini na kunusurika.
"Sitasahau siku hizo za giza. Nilipoteza kilo 20 wakati huo."
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In Iran, virginity before marriage is important for many girls and their families. Sometimes men demand a virginity certificate - a practice that the World Health Organization (WHO) deems to be against human rights. But in the past year, more and more people have been campaigning against it.
"You tricked me into marrying you because you're not a virgin. Nobody would marry you if they knew the truth."
This is what Maryam's husband said to her after they had sex for the first time.
She tried to reassure him that, even though she didn't bleed, she had never had intercourse before. But he didn't believe her, and asked her to get a virginity certificate.
This is not uncommon in Iran. After getting engaged, many women go to a doctor and get a test that proves they've never had sex.
However, according to the WHO, virginity testing has no scientific merit.
Maryam's certificate stated that her hymen type was "elastic". This means she might not bleed after penetrative sex.
"It hurt my pride. I didn't do anything wrong, but my husband kept insulting me," she said. "I couldn't take it anymore, so I took some pills and tried to kill myself."
Just in time, she was taken to a hospital and survived.
"I will never forget those dark days. I lost 20kg [3 stone] during that time."
BBC