NEW YORK -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Toward the end of her marriage , Rabia Iqbal said she feared for her life . Robina Niaz said the Quran `` condemns '' abuse of women . `` If we witness injustice , we 're required to speak up . '' Iqbal was born in New York to parents who had immigrated to the United States from the tribal areas of Pakistan . She had a strict Muslim upbringing and when she was 16 , her parents arranged her marriage to a 38-year-old man . She claims her husband turned violent during their 10 years of marriage . When she finally left him , she did not know where to turn . Going home was n't an option , she said . `` My parents ... made clear that they would disown me , '' Iqbal said . `` My father even said ... ` You 're lucky you live in America because if you lived back home , you would have been dead by now . ' '' She was hiding out in her office at work when a friend put her in touch with Robina Niaz , whose organization , Turning Point for Women and Families , helps female Muslim abuse victims . `` It was such a relief ... to speak about things that ... I thought no one would understand , '' said Iqbal , who has received counseling from Niaz for more than two years and calls Niaz her `` savior . '' `` Robina understood the cultural nuances ... the religious issues , '' Iqbal said . Watch Iqbal tell her story '' A devout Muslim , Niaz stresses that there is no evidence that domestic violence is more common among Muslim families . `` Abuse happens everywhere , '' said Niaz . `` It cuts across barriers of race , religion , culture . '' But , she said , Muslims are often reluctant to confront the issue . `` There 's a lot of denial , '' she said . `` It makes it much harder for the victims of abuse to speak out . '' When Niaz launched her organization in 2004 , it was the first resource of its kind in New York City . Today , her one-woman campaign has expanded into a multifaceted endeavor that is raising awareness about family violence and providing direct services to women in need . Niaz said she firmly believes that domestic violence goes against Islamic teachings , and considers it her religious duty to try to stop abuse from happening . `` Quran condemns abusive behavior of women , '' she said , noting that the prophet Mohammed was never known to have abused women . `` Allah says , ` Stand up against injustice and bear witness , even if it 's against your own kin . So if I see injustice being done to women and children , I have to speak up . It 's my duty . '' Niaz 's mission began after a difficult period in her own life . Born and raised in Pakistan , she had earned a master 's degree in psychology and had a successful career in international affairs and marketing when she moved to the United States to marry in 1990 . `` It was a disastrous marriage , '' she said . As Niaz struggled to navigate the American legal system during her divorce , she said she appreciated how lucky she was to speak English and have an education . She realized that many immigrant women without those advantages might be more likely to stay in marriages because they did n't know how to make the system work for them . `` If this is how difficult it is for me , then what must other immigrant women go through ? '' she remembered thinking . After volunteering with South Asian victims of domestic violence , Niaz , who speaks five languages , got a job using those skills to advocate for immigrant women affected by family violence . But Niaz 's focus changed on September 11 , 2001 . `` I was no longer a Pakistani-American ... I looked at myself as a Muslim . '' Niaz said the backlash many Muslims experienced after the terror attacks made abuse victims more afraid to seek help ; they feared being shunned for bringing negative attention to their community . Watch Niaz explain the effects of 9/11 on abused Muslim women '' `` Women who were caught in abusive marriages were trapped even more , '' recalled Niaz . In 2004 , Niaz used her savings to start Turning Point for Women and Families . Today , her work focuses on three main areas : providing direct services to abused women , raising awareness through outreach , and educating young women -- an effort she hopes will empower future generations to speak out against abuse . Crisis intervention services are a critical element of Niaz 's efforts . Through weekly counseling sessions , she and her team provide emotional support to the women while helping them with practical issues , such as finding homeless shelters , matrimonial lawyers , filing police reports or assisting with immigration issues . Niaz has helped more than 200 Muslim women . While most of Turning Point 's clients are immigrants , the group helps women from every background . While Niaz has support from many people in New York 's Muslim community , she acknowledges that not everyone appreciates her efforts . She keeps her office address confidential and takes precautions to ensure her safety . `` There have been threats ... but that comes with this work , '' she said . `` I know that God is protecting me because I 'm doing the right thing . '' Want to get involved ? Check out Turning Point for Women and Families and see how to help .