*Trigger Warning: Mention Of Child Abuse, Rape*
Alka Gadgil, Maharashtra
“Two years ago, I came in contact with Kishor Jagtap, the founder of MaitraKul, a hostel for children in socio-economic distress. Maya Chavan, who was my mentor, introduced me to Kishor dada,” shared 22-year-old Samhita (name changed) while narrating her story.
Abused By Her Father
Samhita’s mother passed away when she was a child. Her father was highly educated and he worked as an accountant in a government department. He was an intellectual and well-read person. However, he was extremely hot-headed and impulsive and uttered a lot of abuses.
“If I didn’t start my homework on time or if I didn’t study, he used to hit me. I remember once I was not able to solve a sum, I was on it for more than 15–20 minutes.
“He lost his patience and started beating me so much that our neighbours came to my rescue. I was with them for a couple of hours. Even then, I was scared to return home,” shared Samhita.
She further added, “I used to stand first in the class. But then I fell in bad company. I started spending a lot of time with friends, loitering meaninglessly.”
Being Kidnapped And Raped
Samhita’s friend was a film buff, and one day she asked her to accompany her to a film. When they reached the theatre, there was a youth waiting for them. Later she came to know that he had paid for their tickets.
“The man said he was in love with me. He tried to persuade me, but I was not interested. But he couldn’t accept ‘no’ for an answer. He started stalking and bullying me. My brother warned him several times, but he didn’t budge.
“Finally, on the last day of my 10th Secondary School Certification exam, he kidnapped me and kept me in his native home in Satara, a city in southern Maharashtra. I was repeatedly raped by him and his friends. It took me quite some time to come to terms with what had happened to me.
“I was angry and distraught. Then Maya tai took me home. I lived with her for some time but I wanted to work, I wanted to be independent. I also got a job offer, but my friends and relatives didn’t let me,” Samhita narrated.
How Living In Maitrakul Changed Her Life
Now when Samhita looks back, she understands that errant children don’t respect other people’s emotions. They always wish to get things done in their own way. Bad company can result in negative consequences for both—the bad friend and the person they’re hurting.
“I wanted to tell my story, but I didn’t have the agency for sharing. My life was in abeyance. I felt ashamed to reply to any personal questions like what’s my name, where I live,” shared Samhita.
Finally, she met Kishor Jagtap and shared her story and felt quite relieved after speaking to him. She started leading her normal life. But after a while, her abuser’s friend started following her. He also threatened her. This episode brought back the memories of her horrendous ordeal.
She got scared, but then she found support on social media. Many netizens supported her and the errant youth had to backtrack.
“My father used to dissuade me from using social media. Concentrate on your studies, he would say. But I found my support group there,” expressed Samhita.
In 2020, Samhita chose to live in Maitrakul, a hostel adhering to a strict schedule for breakfast, lunch, dinner and study time. All children and their supervisors have to follow the rules. They work with students on time management skills which will help them be successful later in life.
Samhita had refused to follow the daily schedule. She used to pick up fights with other boarders and even with supervisors. She had also started stealing things. She sold old newspapers, earrings, bracelets, etc., of inmates. She also stole ₹7000 from Maitrakul’s kitty. But she didn’t spend the money.
“It was a way to vent her anger and anxiety. But the Maitrakul team dealt with her with patience and perseverance. They never blamed or shamed her. Slowly she came out of her unease and started mingling with other children,” shared Kishor Jagtap.
The mentors of Maitrakul have started giving her important chores like depositing cheques or withdrawing cash from the bank. Now she handles the finance of the NGO. She’s also a star fund collector.
Samhita is aggressive and assertive, but she doesn’t resort to violence. Her mentors at Maitrakul call her Phoolandevi. Samhita also uses social media very creatively to raise money. She posts appealing and intelligent messages on social media which result in receiving aid from the people.
When you are abused as a child, your body can heal, but the stress of the abuse on your mind can cause long-term effects. Abuse can lead to emotional and behavioural problems. But Samhita has finally made amends with her inner conflict which had haunted her for a while.
The writer is a development worker from Maharashtra. Share your feedback on features@charkha.org.