WATCH: Brave Wolverhampton woman speaks out after family planned to marry her off online

That was the reaction of a young Muslim from Wolverhampton after discovering a plot for her to be wed over Skype without her knowledge.

At the same time she was being emotionally blackmailed and put under growing pressure to undergo Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) – a practice illegal in the UK and is sometimes referred to as female circumcision.

But after discovering the plot earlier this year the woman, in her 20s, went to the police and has now been safeguarded by pioneering legislation.

She is the first person in the UK to have been issued 'joint' forced marriage and FGM protection orders.

Zara, which is not her real name, approached the Express & Star wanting to expose her harrowing experience in the hope of encouraging other potential victims to speak out.

Pressure mounted on Zara to be wed and to undergo FGM in February this year.

Relatives living in Asia told her father both were required if she was to be considered a 'respectable' woman and a 'real' Muslim.

She said: "My dad was saying that people were telling him this is required to be a respectable woman. At that time I didn't have the understanding of what it was meaning and things were weird.

"It got to a point where even I was thinking 'so probably I am not respectable, I'm not Muslim'.

"And I have done so many things, I am a practicing Muslim, I wear hijab, pray five times-a-day and I fast."

Zara became increasingly concerned she would be forced to undergo FGM and approached her GP to ask about the risks. She was advised to contact the NSPCC who put her in contact with West Midlands Police.

Dc Jody Edwards immediately advised her to find her travel documents to ensure she could not be taken out of the country.

It was then Zara discovered photocopies of a marriage registration form which had been partially filled out with her details and listed the place of marriage as video chat service, Skype.

Accompanying the form was a letter addressed to her uncle living in Asia which gave her father's consent for the marriage to take place.

The scheme had been designed so Zara would not need to give her consent, prompting her to fear she was already wed.

"If I'm married, the circumcision will happen immediately," explains Zara. "As a girl you don't have a say. It is always the men.

"So I was crying my eyes out, begging to know if I'm married or if I'm not married."

To Zara's great relief the marriage had not taken place.

The police intervened in March this year and have now shielded Zara with both a forced marriage and a FGM protection order – meaning if her family breach the order the face a court appearance. She is just the sixth person in the West Midlands to be protected by the latter order, which was introduced by the government last year.

They mean that Zara cannot be wed or taken abroad without her consent and have given her the confidence to speak out.

Criminal charges were later brought against Zara's father but the case was discontinued in accordance with her wishes and police considerations of how she would be best protected.

A harassment order was issued to her father to stop him hounding her to get married or undergo FGM.

"But they have to do it. It's not religion. It's not family honour. It's not family dignity. If they are not brave enough to do it, the police will do it. They are not going to bring any shame."

Sergeant Sharon Smith, from the safeguarding protection team at West Midlands Police, said: "Zara was extremely brave throughout.

"She is a very intelligent young lady as well, who wanted to know the whole process and make the decisions herself after being informed by ourselves."