MUMBAI: As she struggles to rescue each and every victim of domestic violence, rape and sex trafficking that she comes across through her NGO No More Tears, Somy Ali often has to face the brunt of the perpetrators as well. She was attacked recently (on Monday) while she was trying to save a girl from entering a house which was highly dangerous.
“I work hands-on with the police in rescuing victims. I am not allowed to get out of my car unless they have the victim out of the house and are no longer captive because the abusers carry weapons. This has been my ninth attack in 17 years of running No More Tears and it was a very unique scenario as we were waiting for the victim and the traffickers at the same time. The victim had no clue that she was about to walk into a home which she assumed she was hired to clean, whereas it’s where traffickers hide their victims,” she says.
Talking about what happened, she says, “Unfortunately, as the victim was walking towards the house, I got out of my car on an instinct that she shouldn’t go in because what if the traffickers might already be in there even though the police had told me they were on their way and the house was empty. When I got out of my car, simultaneously the traffickers approached the house and us. One of the men grabbed my left hand and twisted it all the way in a manner it’s not supposed to turn. This concluded in, thank goodness, just in a hairline fracture, but I am in a lot of pain and bedridden.”
She adds, “The doctor said it’s a 6-8 week process to heal and I am just glad I am right handed. These kinds of situations where mix ups happen are very common. One of the traffickers assumed I was also one of the girls and they had sent two to be sold rather than one while I was thinking she shouldn’t go inside as what if they are already in the house.”
Sharing what happened next, she says, “Either way, they were arrested and one officer drove the girl to the police department to question her as to how she ended up at that house. And I was driven to the emergency room because the pain was indescribably bad.”
She adds, “My left wrist and hand had swollen up very badly and I couldn’t move them. So, I am in a cast, bundled-up, for a few weeks, which is the universe telling me to take a break.”
At this time also, her thoughts go to the victim she saved. “I am glad nothing worse happened and the girl was not sold to that awful gang. Human trafficking is a very different ball game. They are all on drugs carrying weapons and they have no value for their lives or the ones they take,” she says.
She adds, “I learned this in 2013, when one of the traffickers warned me with a gun to my head. Look, no one enters this world knowing they are fully safe. It comes with the territory and I don’t say this to sound like a martyr, but I couldn’t think of a better way to go than doing this work. The higher power chose me for this not the other way around. It’s not as if I will sit around all the time given I still have my right hand fully functioning and I still will be taking calls from the police to help victims with services. The only difference is I will have to Uber them rather than drive them myself to get groceries, see a dentist, a gynecologist, a court hearing etc.”
In the end it’s all worth it, she says, adding, “It’s the best purpose to be alive. It brings me happiness to know that one more person was added to our 50,000 rescues from the August tally. I am grateful to be in a position where I can help people which is why I will always say it’s the most selfish, not selfless purpose for being alive.”
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