Thursday, July 15, 2010

Courage...

This girl was easily the most silent one in the PG. As language was a huge barrier, both of us restricted our conversations to various degrees of smiles and nods. Once, during a power cut both of us were pitted in the dark against each other and that slowly got us talking.

She spoke about her Mother who passed away in a freak accident a few years back, her Father who became a little disoriented after that, how he was pressurized into marrying another woman, how her siblings had to discontinue their schooling for two years…

It brought a huge lump in my throat and I asked her if she ever visited home. She told me she doesn’t want to and couldn’t even if she wanted to. My question opened another series of wounds she was healing with her almost tranquil existence.

Her step mother had sexually abused her sibling who then tried to commit suicide. This girl was apparently the only one gutsy enough to go to the police and report the incident. The lady was imprisoned and is still in jail. However, the step-mother’s brothers threatened to harm this girl if she stayed in her hometown. Thus she packed her bags and left the house, never to return again.

Child abuse is the most dreadful form of sexual abuse. It ruins your life or at least leaves an everlasting scar. The trauma and the pain you endure can never possibly be erased completely. That surge of anger, the realization of helplessness, the quiet retreat into solitude… The sibling even now apparently has nightmares and has completely stopped studying.

I couldn’t but help admiring this girl, for the courage she had to stand up to a group of blood thirsty men for her family. The quietest girl amidst us had suddenly become the greatest too.

10 comments:

Vamsee said...

Bravo to her. True courage indeed.

The Rain Crab said...

Covey my salute and hugs to her varsh!

Varsha said...

@vamp: Yes. Indeed.
@Rain crab: :)

Vamsee said...

Stop calling me vamp! Grrr. At least use the full moniker!

Sharanya Rajendran said...

True courage, I see. Salute to her. And I loved your closing lines vaar!:)

silly swallow said...

the ring of sincerity and self effacement in the narrative communicates (as much as the contents do) about the profound confrontation with greater lives.

it is sad if a person is left with no place or person to return to for solace, reassurance, companionship and understanding. thanks for the power cuts that dispel the darkness of implosion on one person’s part and the mask of pleasantries on the other’s (the smiles and nods would have been pretty useless in dark any way). she has found a faint flicker in you.

your own conviction in leaving the familiar place and people to pursue a more independent life seems trivial now !

Varsha said...

@CR: :) danks
@Silly swallow: Absolutely. I dont think we will ever understand the importance of having a home to go back to you when you are treated like royalty each time you are at home. But, good news is that her dad is moving to another city and she is planning to join him as soon as she is done with her course here :)

leks said...

The post was just like your friend :)

Quite yet strong :)

And I go with CR, I loved the concluding lines, they were even better.

I really am proud of this lady!

leks said...

correction- quiet not quite..

I should edit my every sentence, should be put in 2nd std x-(

Varsha said...

@Lex: Thanks...Chill. It is quite OK :P