An Orthodox Jewish woman in New York has launched a social media campaign calling for her husband to grant her a religious divorce.

Rivky Stein, 24, has been fighting for two years to secure a get from Yoel Weiss, 31.

She recently set up a Facebook page, "Redeem Rivky: Demand that Yoel Weiss Give his Wife a Get", in which she claimed she was abused by Mr Weiss. The page gained 4,401 "likes" in a week. Mrs Stein said: "I want my get very badly. But this is not just about me. It's about fixing the problem so it doesn't happen to anyone else."

She claimed that she had to leave Mr Weiss after he raped her and punched her in the stomach while she was pregnant. She has reported her allegations to the Brooklyn District Attorney's office.

Mr Weiss, who runs an internet search engine optimisation firm, denies abusing Mrs Stein.

The pair, who have two children, never obtained a civil marriage licence, instead opting for a ketubah, which is recognised by family courts.

Mr Weiss said he would grant the divorce when their custody battle is finalised.

He said: "This is something that's settled together. That's how the Jewish thing goes. Ever bought a house and moved into it without paying?"

The pair married shortly after Mrs Stein turned 18, in 2008.