NPR

Saudi Woman Who Fled Country Hopes She Inspires Others To Follow

Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun captured the attention of the world in a series of social media posts pleading for asylum. Her family, who she claimed was abusive, has disowned her.
Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, center, is welcomed by Canadian Minister for Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland as she arrives at Pearson International airport in Toronto, Ontario, on January 12. The young Saudi woman who fled her family successfully harnessing the power of Twitter to secure asylum in Canada.

The 18-year-old Saudi woman who secured asylum in Canada hopes other women will be inspired to follow in her footsteps.

After she learned on social media that her family had disowned her, Alqunun said she'd like to drop her family name and go by Rahaf Mohammed, the reports. It's her latest show of defiance against a family she says abused her, in a country that forces women to get a man's permission to travel or marry.

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