I was raised in a large poor family in the state of Orissa. My mother forced me to marry my uncle, a horrible man, much older than I. The other villagers warned her about him, but she didn’t listen. He had another wife, his sister-in-law, and had three children by her. I think this wife did black magic on him, because he stopped talking to me and refused to eat the food I cooked. They beat me a lot. Finally, the village elders scolded my husband and he ran away, leaving me alone.
I returned to my parents’ house but it wasn’t a good situation. I’d been married, I was supposed to be living with my husband, and all the village talked. After some time, a relative from a neighbouring village promised to find a job for me and my sister in another state.
I guess I was lucky. Soon after I was sold, a boy from Orissa came to the brothel. I told him my story, he informed the police and they rescued me. That was 4 years ago. I’ve been here in this shelter since, waiting for my relative to be prosecuted.
What will I do in the future? I love children, I love cooking, but I refuse to be a housewife. I won’t sit in a house while my parents starve. I can’t go back to the village. I certainly won’t go back to that horrible man. Do I have any options? I don’t think so. I’ve got to earn money. I’ll be forced to go back to prostitution, and then you’ll say I made a ‘choice’. What choice do I have? Tell me. I feel so angry. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it. Find me a job. Trust me, and I won’t let you down. After all, I sent my trafficker to prison for 8 years, didn’t I? So what can I do now?
*name given
Narrative ‘The Snake Goddess’ featured in the project ‘Another Me: Transformations from Pain to Power’
