9: Ex-Muslim: my parents wanted me killed for blasphemy law

In this episode, we peer behind the curtain of the life of ex-Muslim Ray - founder of the counter-extremism non-profit, The Committee to Protect Muslims and Ex-Muslims. Disclaimer: this is by no means an attack on Islam, just as the episode with Emily Green the Hasidic Jew was not an attack on Judaism. Both episodes are simply a case of giving a platform to women who were suppressed, harassed and threatened by their families and the extreme sides of their culture.

Before I continue about Ray: thanks so much for your continued support and all the messages – I love it, so do get in touch on Twitter or wherever. In just six weeks, we’ve gone from 50 listeners a week to a couple of thousand, and growing fast. All I ask of you is that you go to the place you download this and see if you can review it and give it some love, it helps with all the charts and analytics and stuff.

Ray and I have been online pen pals for a while. Now a prominent ex-Muslim speaker on the perils of extremism, Ray – who moved to the UK from Bangladesh - is still stalked by her family and wider members of Islamist extremist groups who believe in the blasphemy law. She is also attacked online by both the far-left and the far-right – so, not an enviable position.

Her family abused her throughout childhood, and when she was 26 her father urged her to drink two bottles of unknown medicine, suggesting if she drink them, she’ll die. He then violently assaulted her, prompting her to leave her family for the UK. She’s been in constant communication with the police; and I reached her at her current safe house.

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