By Soph Stephens | Digital Manager
Meera, 18, grew up in an environment marked by violence, control and fear. Raised for much of her childhood in a small village before her family moved to a city in western India, she witnessed constant physical and emotional abuse at home. Her mother was the sole earning member of the household, while her father remained largely unemployed and frequently violent towards both Meera and her mother. As a child, Meera endured severe physical abuse, including incidents where she was burned and her hair was forcefully pulled.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, while she was in the 8th standard, Meera experienced sexual abuse by her father. Threats, fear and emotional manipulation silenced her for years. When concerns were eventually raised within her community, a local council was convened to hear the matter — but her father denied the allegations, and no action was taken.
Despite this trauma and ongoing financial hardship, Meera continued her education. From the 11th standard onwards, she worked as a domestic worker to support herself, though her parents often took her earnings and denied her any financial independence. While studying, she formed a supportive relationship with a classmate. When her parents discovered this relationship, it triggered further conflict at home.
After turning 18, Meera made the courageous decision to leave the abusive environment, with the support of her partner. She was later referred to our partner, Urja, where she found safety, support and the opportunity to begin rebuilding her life with dignity and independence.
Meera's story is not an easy one to tell, and it is not yet finished. But it is a story of a young woman who, even after years of being silenced, found the courage to speak, to leave and to seek a different future. With trauma-informed support and a safe space to begin again, survivors like Meera are given something that was long denied them: the chance to choose their own path.
Thank you for making journeys like Meera's possible.
By Soph Stephens | Digital Manager
By Soph Stephens | Digital Manager
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