Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Survivor of domestic abuse

She lies on the floor, bleeding. Her face is full of scratches and her hands and feet are completely bruised. She has no strength inside her to get up. Nor is she willing to. She's waiting for the darkness to overcome her, to engulf her in it. She waits for death.. Death would be so much better than a life like this. She waits, as a tear rolls down her cheek as the last few years flash by her eyes..

Her name is Natasha and she was an only child. She belonged to a very noble and rich family, and was looking for a job after finishing her masters when her parents told her that a proposal had come for her by a man named Asad, and they're willing to accept it. She knew the guy, he was a family friend, and they got along pretty well but she was worried that there would be so many limitations if she got married soon. Her parents reassured her that the guy would not put any restrictions on her, as his parents had clarified when they had sent the proposal, and she could work or study if she wanted. 

She still wasn't sure. But seeing how happy the proposal made her parents, she began to second guess her decision of saying no. Soon enough, she mustered up the courage and told her parents that she was willing to accept the proposal. The happiness on her parents' face could not be expressed in words. 

The wedding preparations began. Within months, she was married to Asad and the first few months went by smoothly. She was in love with him and he with her. They never fought and were willing to sacrifice anything for each other. Natasha decided to be a housewife instead of pursuing her career. 

One day, Asad came home, angry due to some trouble at the office. Natasha asked what was wrong but he just snubbed her and told her to leave him alone. Never having seen him like this, Natasha got worried and asked him to let out his worries and that she was ready to listen. Asad was already upset and he started screaming - 'Natasha, why can't you just leave me alone? For the love of God, stop badgering me with you stupid, incessant questions!' Natasha, hurt by this attitude, told him that dinner was on the table and that she was going to bed. Asad looked at her and said with a sneer - Go sleep, you can do nothing at all, you're a pathetic fool with no abilities at all. 

Natasha did not know what to say so she just kept quiet and started to walk away when Asad caught up to her and turned her around, and slapped her right across the face and said - 'Do you think you can try walking away from me? Don't you ever do that again.' Asad went away, leaving Natasha, shocked and completely humiliated. 

The next day, Asad came home with an apologetic smile and a bouquet of her favourite flowers and told her he was really angry and that he didn't mean for it to happen and promised to never let it happen again. Natasha believed him knowing it won't happen again, that it was just a one time thing. A week later, Asad came home, furious and frustrated due to office issues and hit Natasha again, this time with wooden stick. She was completely bruised and was left bleeding on the floor. 

It kept happening over and over, the beating, the apologies, the gifts and the cycle began again. Until one day, Natasha told him he could either stop beating her or she's going to get a divorce. Asad got infuriated once again and beat her constantly, all the while saying - 'you're that bold? Why don't you stand up and fight me, you pathetic girl? You can't even stand up to me, how the hell are you going to divorce me, huh?' He beat her up so much that every part of her was bleeding, every single muscle in her body screamed with pain. She was left in her own blood, while Asad walked out of the house. 

She finally got the strength to text her best friend who came over and took her to the hospital. She survived, she also managed to get a divorce without any complications because ber injuries were enough proof of Asad's treatment of her. But, to this day, she looks behind her shoulder every time she goes out alone, worried that Asad would make sure she died next time he found her.  But she has survived. She has lived. 

Natasha is an example of so many women in the world who are being subjected to such abuse on a daily basis. Some of them are strong enough to stand up and get a divorce and get rid of such men from their lives, but most of them have other issues to consider and they're not that strong. They constantly get beaten up, they get beaten up by bricks, steel, wood, anything that could eventually kill them. And most of these men do not even realise they're in the wrong, they think their wives are some object to be cruel with. Newsflash, they're not. They are as much of a human as you are, and they deserve equal respect. 

This is based on a true story. So, raise your voice against domestic abuse. Raise your voice against cruelties against women. Raise your voice in favour of rights and respect of women. They deserve equality. They deserve dignity. If you know of anyone who is being abused, please report it immediately. Help your friend, cousin, relative, acquaintance. Help them, become their saviour. You just might be the one that they need. You might end up saving their lives. 

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