An Indian-American has been found guilty by a US court of domestic violence, rape and sexual violence against his Indian wife.
The victim was forced to have sex with her husband Lakhvir Singh, 28 and do nearly round-the-clock household labour, police said.
She was routinely referred to as "b----" by her husband, uncle and aunt; and slapped and choked.
Her life was threatened, the Marion County Superior Court in Indianapolis was told. The victim barely ate and had to sleep on the floor without covers.
Last week, a jury found Singh guilty of criminal deviate conduct, domestic battery, rape, sexual battery and strangulation. He was found not guilty of another charge: promotion of human trafficking.
However, he also was acquitted on separate counts of rape, deviate sexual misconduct and sexual battery.
His sentencing is scheduled for Friday, and he faces six to 20 years in prison for the most serious charges.
"I want the maximum punishment and justice to be served," the victim told The Indianapolis Star. "I don't want this to happen to any other girl. My voice can finally be heard."
Singh's lawyer Jack Crawford, however, said the woman made up the allegations to get out of a marriage she didn't like and to secure a visa for victims of human trafficking.
"She was in a marriage where she did some things she didn't want to do and tried to get out of it," Crawford said. "The blame here lies with the parents for forcing them both into a marriage they did not want.
