But Empower Campaign lifts the veil of stigma off acid survivors
A different sight greeted Connaught Place on Sunday morning when a group of young volunteers came out with the Empower Campaign in support of acid attack survivors. The parade was led by 25-year-old laxmi, herself a victim of a gruesome acid attack and also one of the founder members of the Stop Acid Attack initiative. The drive was organised by a young volunteer Kyra Erika Agarwal. A student of American Embassy School, she took up the cause after being inspired by a book on laxmi’s life.
The Empower Campaign focuses on two crucial aspects — one, the idea to use pepper spray, which can act as a defense mechanism and two, to help raise funds for Rupa, a victim of her stepmother’s evil machinations who emptied a jar of acid on her while she was sleeping. The funds would help Rupa in achieving her dreams of becoming a fashion designer and having her own boutique. On an earlier occasion, Rupa had designed a few garments where the other survivors — laxmi, Ritu, Sonam and Chanchal — became models for her first line. Since then there has been no looking back for her with the strength and support she has achieved from the new friends she made during the course of her painful and arduous journey.
“It says that change is inevitable and whatever I faced cannot be undone. Call it a cruel twist of fate, but nothing stops me from seeing my dreams come to fruition,” said Rupa. Currently, she is living in Chhaon, a rehabilitation home to many acid survivors like her. In Chhaon, they provide counselling, medical help, monetary aid and rehabilitation. Chhaon is haven to such survivors and a path to self-reliance.
During the Empower Campaign, many people were seen taking keen interest to help the movement gain ground. Among the acid attack survivors, laxmi, Rupa and Ritu too were present on the occasion. “Make life for us struggle-free. Don’t force us to use pepper spray,” said 19-year-old Ritu, who is an acid survivor herself. Ritu was attacked during her regular volleyball practice on May 26, 2012, in Haryana. She was in Class VI then and wanted to become a national-level volleyball player.
“Our skin itches when we go out in the sun but we still face the world like brave warriors, warts and all,” said laxmi. Ironically, following the gangrape and murder of a Delhi paramedic, new legislation was passed. The new law put acid attacks within the ambit of the Indian Penal Code and set a punishment of 10 years imprisonment. However, preventing the sale and buying of acid in India is yet to become a stringent law. Many still buy acid with ulterior motive, without any fear and many still are on the run after perpetrating the crime.