I present the narratives of a select group of five children, who were victims of trafficking and sexual abuse and had come to stay at the care home "NIJOLOY" (Your Own Home) in the recent past.
Incidentally, I am the "doctor uncle" who is responsible for their physical and mental wellbeing. Presently there are about 100 inmates like Aparna, Laila, Reshmi, Priya and Pala. I have allowed the children to narrate their own true stories and as such, these narratives not only reflect the inhuman pain, helplessness, physical and mental trauma that these young girls have been subjected to but also how with the passage of time, counseling and the utilisation of educational, health and vocational training facilities provided by Women's Interlink Foundation Kolkata, they have been successful in reconstructing their shattered identities at the care home, "NIJOLOY".
APARNA, AN INMATE OF NIJOLOY TELLS HER STORY
I'm Aparna Mondal (name changed), a hindu, born on 01.01.92, in the village of Jamtala, Sunderbans, 24 Parganas(S). My father Rakhahari Mondal is an agricultural labourer and my mother Kousalya works in a brick-kiln. I have an elder sister and an elder brother. We all worked in the same brick-kiln and I was a class IV student at Gangadhar Palli Sishu Siksha Kendra, when I left my studies about five years ago to start on this new life. Together we earned about Rs 250 per day and were a happy family.
My parents gave me in marriage to Monoj Naskar, an agricultural labourer an year ago in 2008, when I was about 16 years old. My two months stay with my in-laws was very traumatic. I was subjected to much mental trauma and survived four attempts of poisoning on issues related to dowry.
I ran away from my in-law's place and went back to my father. My parents did not allow me to continue my work as they feared repercussions from my in-law's family who had already lodged a false police complaint in my name. At home, I was bored with my the then way of life and was finally much relieved to accompany a neighbourhood aunty "mashi", who promised me a beautician job that would fetch me Rs 700 per month.
We crossed the river, reached Canning and then took the train to Kolkata. I enjoyed the bus-ride from Sealdah to Sovabazar, where the "mashi" put me up in a lodge. The good lady bought me some dresses and that was the last I saw of her. I expect I was sold the same day to the owner of the lodge , whom I never saw.
It was very fortunate that a police raid took place that very night and I was taken into custody with some other girls of my age and then handed over to Cini Asha (a NGO working with trafficked girls). I was later sent to SUKANYA GOVT HOME, where I stayed for two months. While staying at that home, I had the opportunity to join THE GREEN POLICE but couldn't continue the job as my in-laws were on my lookout and could physically harm me. I was then shifted to NIJOLOY on 18.11.08.
I really enjoy my stay at NIJOLOY and my loving house mother, Nilima Roy (Boro Ma) has really made things comfortable for me. I have joined the cooking and canteen training from 12.01.09 and am really looking forward in becoming an excellent cook in the near future. As I am too old to join the regular school, I will also attend the non formal classes at the home. I hope to rejoin "THE GREEN POLICE", after my case is settled and I go back to live with my parents.
LAILA KHATOON TELLS HER STORY
My name is Laila Khatoon (name changed). I am a seventeen year old muslim girl but they also call me Bindiya, the auspicious mark on the forehead. My father Mhd Kurban Ali was a mason and we lived in Deula village, Sardarpara in Diamond Harbour. Ours was a big family with three brothers, three sisters and my father who was an alcoholic. My mother had died a few years back. The earnings were insufficient to maintain the family and I had to leave school after finishing class II.
I was so disgusted with life that I ran away from home about three years ago and while on the run, I struck up acquaintance with a lady who drugged me and took me to the Pune red light area. The lady sold me to a "malkin" and I had to service clients for almost seven months.
I was very much resigned to my fate and was instrumental in trafficking another girl named Saheeda. All of a sudden a police raid took place and I was among those taken into custody. They sent me to Nanapet Home in Mumbai and from there I was transferred to Mandua Home. I never really liked those homes. Those homes were so different, in an alien land and was much relieved when I was again transferred to the Sanlap Home in my part of the country. My inner self never accepted the situation I was in. I was later transferred to NIJOLOY (a care home) on 05.03.07. The situation did not help me much and initially I could not adjust to the new surroundings. My whole self was in conflict.
I was not ready to stay at NIJOLOY. I was very rude and loud in my behaviour and ended up fighting with almost everybody in the home. I underwent regular counseling sessions and gradually my nature underwent a transformation. Now I speak softly and understand the economic need to enter a profession. I have taken up tailoring and block printing in my vocational training classes. I definitely prefer tailoring and one day dream to become a master tailor. Doctor uncle has promised to buy me a sewing machine, if I can learn the art well within three years. I would also like to join the non formal classes and continue my education from where I had left off. When I will earn a lot of money in the future, I will go back to my family. I miss them very much.
In my almost two years stay at NIJOLOY, I have not gained in weight but in experience and when doctor uncle asks me how am I, I say doctor uncle. I'm fit and fine.
RESHMI TELLS HER STORY
I am Reshmi Roy (name changed), 17 years old, hindu. I have read upto class III, my mother tongue is telegu and I was sent to NIJOLOY from Sukanya home in March 2006.My father Sudharanjan was a government bus driver and we lived at Khera, Rudrapur near Bilaspur. My father suddenly resigned his job and took to drinking. My mother, Sabita had no other alternative but to work as a labourer at construction sites. My father whom I miss very much, ultimately left my mother for another woman. My mother who also had a son by a previous marriage asked him to come and stay with the family.
My elder step-brother thus came to stay with us and that decision had a disastrous consequence on me. He used to beat me frequently and was occasionally bold enough to sexually assault me.
I started working as a maid servant at Udham Singh Nagar, Dineshpur, which was just adjacent to Khera. I avoided coming back home, as he had repeatedly raped me on several occasions.
I was in such a mental state that one day I fled from home, took a train from Rudrapur station and reached Delhi after an overnight journey. I knew no one in Delhi. I was repeatedly raped on two separate occasions by unknown people who had struck up acquaintances with me. I was much afraid to ask for help but help soon arrived. I was rescued by the police and sent to a local home called Prayas.
I did not like the home and fled from there with another girl. We took a train to Kolkata, reached the girl’s house. I stayed at my friend’s place for three months (details of this friend is not available).
I was later rescued by the police and sent to Cini Asha. I was then sent to Sukanya Home (Govt Home) where I stayed for two months before being finally sent to NIJOLOY for vocational training and rehabilitation.
I have gone through such multiple traumatic phases in my small life that I am quite astonished that I still want to enjoy life. My counseling sessions in the later part of 2006 helped me to find a new meaning in life. I want to stay at NIJOLOY as I have found my best friend in Naina Biswas at NIJOLOY.
Shall I tell you a secret ? I have met Naina’s brother, who works in Delhi. I like him very much. I am going to marry her brother some day.
Nowadays I am quite calm. My irritation and aggressiveness have lessened to a great extent. I have grown stronger both physically and mentally. I have grown taller and gained five kgs in the last three years. I also have a great appetite. I am also into non formal studies as well as dancing, tailoring and block printing. I hope to do best of both. Though my mother tongue is telegu, I can read and write Bengali very well !
(Reshmi is presently married to Naina's brother and living happily in the outskirts of the city of Kolkata.)
PRIYA NARRATES HER STORY
I'm Priya Sarkar (name changed), aged about 17 years and hindu by birth. I come from a family consisting of my father Sambhu Sarkar, my mother Saraswati Sarkar, three brothers and one sister. We lived in the village Jaitara in 24 parganas(N). I was the youngest among my brothers and sisters. My father had a collective earning from a cycle spare-parts shop, five generators on hire and monthly rents from three other shops besides the family business of puffed rice. My father left for Mumbai when I was only three years old, in search for a better job and better prospects.
My mother developed a relationship with one of my father's friends during his absence. Her marriage which was already under much strain broke up. My father remarried after three/four months and had two sons by this second marriage.
My father's cousin sister then took me away to the Andamans, citing better study prospects but she actually made me work in her home there as a maid servant for the next five years. I was then only nine years old and disillusioned as I was, I ultimately convinced my aunt to send me back to my father. On reaching my parental place, I once again got admitted to school and continued my studies till class V.
I was around 14 years and very immature and my step-mother would always physically abuse me. Oneday, one of my friend's mother took pity on me and offered me a job in Kolkata. I thus left my father's place only to be sold by that helping lady to another woman in Kestopur, a suburb of the city of Kolkata. That woman married me off to her impotent son, Dipankar Sarkar, who worked as a labourer with a local marble contractor. I had to live a life of torture and shame for the next two years.
Unable to tolerate the intense physical abuse, I ran away to my natal place but my father sent me back to my in-laws. I once again returned to my father's place and this time for good. My father in the meanwhile had built a house at Jaguli, 24 parganas(N) and I was much relieved to secure the work of a house maid in that area.
But fate had other strange things in store for me. My step-mother decded on a match for me with a 40 year old man who had already been married twice before and had a four year old daughter too. I ran away again to Hanspur on the pretext of visiting a mela. My elder brother brought me back from Hanspur but father was in no mood to give me shelter and threw me out of the home. I had no other alternative but to start looking for a domestic help job.
Nirapada Mondal, an elderly neighbour promised me to find a nurse's job in Kolkata. I trusted "Nirapada kaku" and his wife "Radha kaki" and accompanied him to his sister-in-law, Amala's house at Sovabazar, a famous red light area in the city of Kolkata, where I was sold again. I was thus forced into the sex trade from the very first day and had to entertain four to five clients each day. I stayed at the brothel for twelve to thirteen days, during which time I managed to build up a friendship with the cook who helped me to escape from that place. I managed to reach Habra station and ultimately join my home at Jaitara. Women's Interlink Foundation intervened at this point and with the help of the local police at Gaighata, brought me to NIJOLOY on 22.04.06.
The stay at NIJOLOY has been beneficial for me. I have managed to overcome my initial depression and tried to pursue my studies with renewed interest after the many counseling sessions during these three years.
I have been recently been promoted to class VIII. My interest in the finer arts, particularly dancing have culminated in successful stage performances with my friends under the guidance of "Shyamal Sir", our favourite dance teacher. I have also won prizes in recitation and sports at my school.
(Priya is presently married to the boy she loves. I met her a few days ago when she came to the home to get a skin condition treated. I didn't see a patient that day, but a radiant young girl happy in marriage and bubbling with joy.)
ALL IS NOT WELL WITH PALA
My name is Pala Mondal (name changed). I am about 24 years of age (DOB : 08.08.85), hindu and my mother tongue is Bengali. I have come to NIJOLOY from CHILD CARE HOME.
I used to stay with my parents, an elder brother and my grandfather at a small village in Andhra Pradesh. My mother committed suicide by jumping from a running train in front of my brother and myself. A lady traveling on the same train took charge of us and brought us to Midnapore, where I was appointed in a shop as a child labour. My elder brother also got a job in a hotel in Canning. Thus we were separated from each other at a very tender age.
I worked in that shop for almost ten years and then left that place to go and meet my brother at Canning. My brother got me married to a local boy, but I fled from there on the day after the marriage and boarded a train to come back to Kolkata. On my way back, I met a lady on the same train who having listened to my plight offered me a job in the city. As I was urgently in need of a job and with no place to go to, I gratefully accepted the offer.
The lady took me to the Khidirpore red light area where I was forced to enter the flesh trade. I had no other option but to entertain clients daily. I had to bear this inhuman existence for about a year before I could manage to flee from there too. The police got hold of me on the way and I was sent to the LILUAH HOME (Govt Home), from where I was sent to CHILD CARE HOME. After staying at this home for a considerable amount of time, I was shifted to NIJOLOY on 14.02.06
The mental and physical traumas in my life, starting with my mother’s suicide, working as a child labour, getting into a married relationship at a tender age and finally becoming a part of the flesh trade have all affected my brain and made me very stubborn and foul mouthed. I do occasionally pick up quarrels with other inmates of this home and even the house mothers. I sometimes do understand that I am quite helpless about the prevailing situation and behave without any control over myself. I have undergone several psychiatric and neurological checkups and allied investigations at govt/private institutions after been diagnosed with Bipolar Mood Disorder about five years ago.
I have also undergone several counseling sessions at NIJOLOY. This has helped me to gain partial control over my anger and frustration but I still need medications to tide over the frequent headaches and the manic episodes that punctuate my life. At times I refuse to take the medications and feel that the doctors have not diagnosed my case properly and as such the medicines are not benefiting me in anyway. I feel very sorry about such occasional turn of events and pass through a lot of stress, strain and agitation before relenting to accept the medications as advised. I was also diagnosed with bilateral axillary lipoma in May 2007 and had a left ear tympanoplasty operation in Nov 2007, for which I was hospitalized.
Inspite of all these problems, I try to remain calm and take an active interest in cooking and other cooking related activities.
(Presently Pala has left the home and gone to her brother's place. She has also married.)
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