Courage in danger is half the battle won by blogger Snehal Gajare

I’m wounded; my heart, my mind and my soul are screeching in pain.

I’m choked with fear, striving to breathe again and again.

Everything seemed to have come to a standstill..................................  

Then came the moment filled with hope and not despair;

I mustered courage and was aware;

I was no more a victim but a courageous fighter, as

I had emerged as a Survivor.

Domestic violence and sexual assault are heinous of crimes committed against humanity. In the present days, these crimes have reached increasing heights resulting in a social outcry from various organisations, volunteers and various sects of people across the globe. According to me Domestic violence occurs when an individual is victimized through assaults, attacks, abuse by a partner who is in an intimate relationship with that individual. In certain cases, it may include abuse by a family member too. The scope of domestic violence is extremely wide and can also include sexual assault. On the other hand, Sexual assault is also a victimization of an individual through any sexual activity without his/her consent. Sexual assault includes any form of sexual harassment, exploitation, unwanted sexual contact, rape, and sexual abuse.  Domestic violence is committed by a person who is always known to the victim whereas in case of sexual assault, the perpetrator may or may not be known to the victim.

In cases of domestic violence the situation is extremely difficult due to the emotional involvement of the victim with his /her assailant. In such cases emotions like love, affection, and pity can overpower the victim’s persona and he/she may be reluctant to accept the very fact that he/she is in an abusive relationship and fails to come in terms with the magnitude of betrayal. In sexual assault cases, the victim is in a non-plussed situation trying to figure out why he/she had to go through such a devilish, ill-fated punishment without any fault on their part. Social stigmatization of the victims is another nightmare that the victims have to deal with. Victims of domestic violence and sexual assaults are often drowned into the dark alleys of victim -blaming and self blaming.

I’m neither a doctor nor a counsellor but just a common woman.  As a woman I feel every victim (he/she) is a survivor who deserves to heal. You always have the right to say “No” and “Stop”.  Life is beautiful and you should not opt to live with fear. You ought to speak up if you wish to receive help.  Speak up your mind to your near and dear ones. Joining support groups can help you in perceiving things differently.You can also get help through professional counselling. Try to build up your confidence. You are not alone. Remember, you have survived; and that’s because you are strong enough to fight your way out.