Page 17 - WOTS_Issue_69

MORE THAN THEIR SCARS

n May 26, 2012, I was preparing café was opened by Alok Dixit who founded that her dad was the one to scar her because
to graduate from high school. I the nonprofit organization Stop Acid Attacks. she knows the man he is now, and she was
was most likely helping my dad Dixit was already involved with campaigns to so young when it happened. While Geeta is
O out the garage as we got stop acid attacks in India when he met Laxmi, apprehensive and claims Indrajeet still
clean
ready to host the herd of family and friends a survivor of an attack at only 15-years old. drinks, Neetu boldly says, “I love him and
who would come to help me celebrate by Dixit and Laxmi fell in love and now run their never think about what happened.”
looking at my baby pictures and eating pulled own campaign out of their office in Delhi.
pork sandwiches. On May 26, 2012, Ritu Sheroes is one of their projects in this In a world that demands beauty of us to be
Saini, a 17-year-old girl in Haryana, India, was campaign. Not only does the café provide worth something, Sheroes Hangout is a place
attacked by three men who poured acid on jobs for victims of acid attacks, but its main where the acid attackers are forgotten and
her. The attack was arranged by her aunt’s mission is to bring awareness to society that the survivors refuse to let their faces dictate
son, from whom Ritu had turned down a these attacks happen, starting with the faces their futures. Now that’s a world I want to
marriage proposal. Her cousin paid the of the victims themselves. The women serve live in. One that seeks justice. I can’t be a
attackers 125,000 rupees, which equaled as waitresses, designers, artists, singers, part of that by living quietly in my own little
somewhere around $1,827. On December cooks, and more. Soniya Chaundhary, who world. What about you?
23, 2012, those three attackers were was attacked after she rejected a man who
sentenced to life imprisonment for this fell in love with her, runs a beauty parlor,
terrible crime against Ritu Saini. does hair, make-up, and nails, and makes
dresses for Sheroes. Soniyas’ motto is, “They
Acid attacks are a heart-wrenching reality for ruined our appearance, but our inner beauty
thousands of young women each year, and stays with us.”
nearly all of the attacks result in brutal
disfigurement. In most cases, a woman is Neetu Mahor was just 30-months old when
chased, cornered, or surprised by an attack. she was attacked by her own father,
Acid is thrown onto the woman’s face, chest, Indrajeet. Geeta, Neetu’s mother, had an
or anything else the attacker can reach. Why even younger daughter who died two
would anyone do such a thing? The most months after the attack. Indrajeet says he
common reason is unrequited love. Acid was very drunk during the attack and woke
attacks commonly happen when a man up terrified. His uncles had drugged him and
proposes to a woman and she declines, suggested he kill his wife and daughters in
which fuels an “if you can’t be mine, you order to settle a property dispute. Indrajeet
won’t be anyone’s” mentality. sheepishly now says, “What’s done is done,”
but has asked for forgiveness from his
Tucked into the town of Agra, India, near the daughter and now strives each day to care
Taj Mahal, is Sheroes Hangout. The small for his family. Neetu finds it hard to process
blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2015/06/03/the-cafe-run-by-acid-attack-survivors/
youtube.com/watch?v=u16JllBuCGY