The woman's face was covered with black dupatta.Her face was incoherent,but as she approached towards the mirror,I found out she had no eyes.She had two holes in place of her eyes,though she roamed around properly.There were traces of skin on her face,and she kept touching her face as she looked in the mirror.She was yet another acid-attack victim or rather a survivor.
Her name is Sheela.She led a normal life just like any other girl.Her marriage was going through rough waters but her job put an end to all the miseries.She and her husband were finally relieved.But,life had something else planned for us.Her boss tried to take advantage of her,to which she promptly objected.At first she tried to avoid him,but as his behavior became unbearable,Sheela left her job.She didn't know of the consequences she would have to suffer because of rejecting her boss's inappropriate advances.And one fateful night,a group of men threw acid on her face in the bus.That was the day,she turned into a stone,her chest became so heavy that she could barely move.
She recounts saying "I shrieked like I had never shrieked before and I don't think I'll ever shriek like that again"
But no one came to help.People had gathered around to look at her,but no one bothered to take her to the hospital.She sat down on the ground crying.Her face was burning,the pain was too much to bear.And to add to her agony,her husband abandoned her.Her friends left her.She was never accepted anywhere,she never got another job.People in the society blamed her for her condition.That man who destroyed her life was never punished.Being an influential person,he was never questioned by the police and no investigation ever took place.
Sheela's life lost all meaning and purpose 5 years ago.
Her wounds never healed,she never got justice.With the help of her parents,she has been able to undergo 15 surgeries.But she needs our help and support to be fully cured.
There was only one question I had after listening to her,are we humans?Do we deserve to be called by that name?Our gluttony and inability to deal with rejections has turned us into blood-sucking creatures.Someone once said,humans are the only animals who kill for pleasure.This man ruined the life of a young girl by burning her face,taking away her eyesight.And what price did he have to pay?None.He is enjoying his life like everyone else,while Sheela struggles for justice.There is no guarantee whether she will ever get that,because only money can buy you justice in our country,the poor and the middle class have no place.With the help of some NGOs Sheela has been able to reopen the case but justice is still a distant dream.
I will not elaborate on male chauvinism and male ego,cause that's an issue that people have been discussing about since times immemorial.Rape has become a way to common affair in our country.Domestic violence still exists.Female foeticide is a curse that exists in a lot of educated families.Dowry is largely prevalent in some states.And there is no end to cyber crimes,harassment,eve-teasing and molestation that women have to go through everyday.But the women are standing up against these crimes.People are reporting these crimes.Victims no longer have to face social stigma,they are being morally supported by their friends and families.
But in Sheela's case,she still has to face social stigma.People judge her on the basis of her appearance.But she is a hero amidst all the morons around her.
She decided to end her life once,but she couldn't.She is someone who will fight till the very end and her story is an inspiration for all those people who think depression and not getting a job are reasons to kill themselves.Grow up folks.It's time we learn something from people like Sheela.It's astonishing to see her not breaking down even once in front of the camera,the way she conducts herself throughout the entire conversation.She believes that crying isn't going to solve anything.It's better she tries to find a solution.She doesn't know whether she is courageous or not but she needs support,financial as well as mental.
Courageous is an understatement for someone like her.With her fight,she has already proved that she is stronger than most of us.She is a beautiful woman,her appearance can't take away her beauty.She is far more beautiful than the make-up stained actresses who walk on the red carpet and make news for the clothes they wear.A woman's beauty lies in her strength and not her face.And Sheela is an example of that.
Sheela's story will remain etched in my heart forever.She is one of my role models now.Hats off to you,Sheela.
There are thousands of girls in India who fall prey to acid attacks.It's time we pay more attention to these problems rather than protecting our cows.
Please visit this site:http://www.stopacidattacks.org/
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