Shabina trafficked from Bengal to bhilwara

Shabina:sex trafficking case  in 2012

Taraji has recently come in contact with a minor Bangladeshi girl, Shabina, who was trafficked into West Bengal and from thereon taken to Mumbai, Bangalore, Indore, Sagar, Surat and finally to Bhilwara, where Taraji lives. She managed to escape from the perpetrators and come to Taraji. With Shabina's help and with the assistance of the police, Taraji carried out a sting operation which has led to the imprisonment of multiple people engaged in sex trafficking.

Shabina was severely traumatized but has recovered a bit now in Taraji's care. Currently, Taraji is focused on getting the girl back home, preferably through the assistance of women's organizations. Moreover, I think she is also in need of professional help to overcome this trauma and start thinking about a violence-free future.


Update: 2013 May
Happy to report with Taraji's help and other orgnaisations support Shabina has reunited with her family

Vishnu kanwar

Vishnu kanwar , village sarasdi case 2001

Vishnu was the eldest of all the 2 kids.When she was 7 years old the kids lost their parents. Poor girls took up the role of taking care of her brothers just like their mother. They used to live in a joint family and she used to do all her house work and had lot of restrictions because of being a girl of rajput family. She was 11 when her mother’s father and her mother’s sister called the 3 kids to their home for a family celebration. Their father’s brother never could never even dream that thee close relatives will turn into enemies.

In ahmedabad Ram singh was 54 years old and he already had murdered her 2 wives..he had kids older than Vishnu. Vishnu’s mother-side relative after calling the kids ..same night sold her off to tam singh for 50000  and forcibly marrider her to him. Both the little brothers kept crying but nobody listened. Then Ram singh took her to ahmedabad and raped her a number of times for a month.   4 days after the fake marriage when vishnu’s father’s brother cam to check on kids and take them .. they ran to him and told him everything . He immediately reported the incident to police. Vishnu 11 year old body could nto bear month log rapes and her health detoriated very fast ..getting scared her maternal aunt she came  to bhilwara. When taraji came to know about this case she went to magistrate and asked Vishnu to tell her story completely. Court gave the kids possession to heir paternal uncle( who helped in finding Vishnu by reporting to police). Vishnu’s meternal grandpa and aunt was sentenced for 7 years of prison. This case got lot of publilcty in district. Today Vishnu is married and live happily 

Shabina banu

Shabina banu : domestic violence victim in 2008 in bhilwara.

  

When Shabina was 11 years old she got married to her cousin as per muslim traditions. She now had 2 sons 12 and 11 years old. Her husband has a medical shop and her father in law is a principal in a ITI college. When shabna was 28 years old she had all the responsibilities of her home since her mother in law died. One day when shabana went into a room in her house she saw that her father in law was molesting a 13 year old girl who used to come for cleaning their house. She could not believe what she saw..she was alo scared that it will cause a hindu-muslim riot if this thing gets out. So she asked that girl not to come from tomorrow to work. In the evening when she told her husband about this incident he instead scolded shabina saying that she is making this all up to get rid of him. He was just not ready to believe on that. After this it became very difficult to shabina to live in that houe. As per plan after 8 days she was asked to go back to her parents place saying there is some function and she is invited and huband kept the 2 kids with himself. Now 3 months passed and she did not hear back from him  then she came to Taraji and told her everything. Organisation helped her make a group in which the muslim population was higher in number. When people went to her husband mecial shop Rahuf(husband) attitude was very negative. He was just ready to give her divorce.

After a lot of fighting back and forth a meeting was called fo muslim families. Nobody believed shabina when she told that story for 21/2 year shabina kept fighting for her kids. 4-5 meetings in byavar were called by taraji. Because of media pressure and community shaming Rahuf finally got tired and gave up the 2 kids to shabina but drunk in pride gave him a divorce instantly.Taraji has never seen such a brave girl filled with self confidence and dignity. She there itself told him that just because society expects you can say “talak” 3 times and end the marriage  but she had ended it long ago when she found out what a coward man he is and she is glad that she is no more the wife if such a irresponsible husband. After this the story did not end. After the divorce her husband started insisting that Shabina leave the villages since people talk and that brings down their family name. There was a big fight nad discussion on this topic. Regligous leaders were involved and we asked then if it was a fair demand ? she was being harassed to leave that village , threatened by goons.

Shabina did not give up the brave soul kept fighting all her problem and has been living their since last 4 years. She learned to sew , earned her living through sewing , she opened her  sewing classes to empower them and she maked suure her 2 kids get the bet of education. She has even made a self help group of some muslim women and they talk and try to resolve the issues faced by their community women. Even Taraji attends their meetings to encourage them and inspire them. She is awarded for her courage and leadership qualities.

Ladu luhar

1.      Ladu luhar –village  rupaheli  witch hunting case in 1998

Ladu luhar could not even have imagined that she will be humiliated in such cruel ways in the same village in which she came as a bride so innocently when she was 11 years old. 40 years after her marriage  when she got widowed the  some powerful villages wanted to capture her land . As a result they declared her a witch , they cut her hair painted her face black and paraded her in the whole village. Then they tore all her clothes and made her run naked across the whole village and beat her just because she had refused to surrender her land to then strictly. She did not have any husband , any son hence she was the perfect target to be outcasted as witch. Orgnasitioan took care of her when she was in hospital for 15 days because the the bruises caused by the beatings.  This was the first witch hunting case in the village.  Because if lax attitude of police towards these issues the such cases rose to number in to 41 ( there might be many more undocumented) . Finally after a lot of struggle now we have a hope that there will be soon a law against witch hunting.

 Ladu was pretty depressed and nervous after this incident. But Taraji went to the village and called a big meeting, She asked the villagers that if such incidents take place then who really should be ashamed? Hearing this many people cursed the accuseds. After that meeting Ladu got her confidence back and today she lives there without feeling ashamed and if there is any ther witch hunting case she is always ready to help. We honor her to making a point that if not at fault hence she should never feel ashamed.

Mannu Kanwar

Mannu Kanwar—victim of  domestic violence, village makhanpuria case 2008

 Mannu kanwar  got married in a rapjput family(so called upper caste) family . a year after her marriage her mother in law died and her father in law told her that she will have to fulfill her role as a wife also alongwith her role of a daughter inlaw. Mannu was shocked to hear that but with determination and courage he kept fighting his bad intentions and looking that that her father in law subdued a little. Bravely and intelligently she made a place for herself in that house without giving in to the pressure. Very soon new problems started to crop up.  Their house started making and selling alcohol at home .so in a 2  room house every night people witll come , get drunk , fight curse each other. All this became a headache to live and became a daily routine. She stayed there for 15 years and had 4 kids. 3 daughters and 1 son. I night her husband for 500 Rs promised a person to marry off one of her daughter when the girls came in teenage. This is the point when Mannu packed up from the house in the night itself and left with her kids since she knew it will be difficult to keep her daughters safe in this house. She walked 3 km on foot caught a bus to bhilwara where her paternal family was. Since last 4 years she is living with pride , earning a living for her kids through sewing and making sure that all the kids get good education.

 She is filled with pride and has proved that if you set your mind to something then nothing is impossible. She showed great courage in leaving her husband and has set up a great example to show that women can survive on their own and bring up their kids all on their own if they work hard and hold on to their dignity and confidence. Taraji’s organization helps such 30-35 such  women who have left their husbands due to various such reasons,  to  live, sustain and thrive in their independent life

She is given this honor since she never succumbed to the pressure of family and society , she did not let herself and her kids get exploited. She  herself took control of her life whenever it was needed to find a dignified life. She sends out the message that we should never compromise with injustice and we should always fight it. Her example uplifts many women’s confidence in that area and inspires them. Hopefully many girl’s  future will be saved through such  awareness ..inspiring them to take action themselves to fight exploitation and injustice.

Kali raiger

      Kali raiger – victim of molestation in work place-2007, village Mandal

Kali raiger belongs to a lower caster poor family. She wanted to earn money to support her family. She started to work for a night school where girls are encouraged to get education and learn. The principal of that school one night started blaming her that she stole the 100 rupees bill that he has kept there. She tried hard to tell him that she did not take it but it was all in his plan and bad intentions .. he kept touching her all over her body in the name of checking for his 100Rs. Kali complained about this incident to the supervisor but there was no action taken.

Now Kalli contacted Taraji and she took Kali and got this incident reported to the district collector.  Soon that man was suspended because of the collector’s pressure. After this incident many women who were facing eve teasing , foul comments and violations got the confidence to come out and speak about their problems.

Kali got interested in studying law after this. She collected money to support her education with the help of her friends and well wishers and fulfilled her dream to study LLB in 2 years. She wanted to prepare for district magistrate exams but sure to poor financial status of her house and seeing her parents work as labourers she decided to take a teaching job instead. Today she is happy to teach and support her family. She is the first girl from her community to study that much and work. She is awarded this honor since unlike other women who shy away from telling their stories of office exploitation and try to sweep it under the carpet to protect their and their family’s name, Kali decided to fight the oppression , violation and  exploitation at her workplace without fear and hence sets up a great brave example.