When one of our CVUs creates a particularly interesting video, Ch19 will ask the director for behind the scenes details. For our first interview we spoke to Sharda, a 20 year old Dalit girl from Siyani village and producer for the Apna Malak Ma CVU. AMM’s latest video magazine reacted to a series of rapes perpetrated in early 2008 by six teachers against Dalit students at a teacher training school in nearby Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Sharda found two local cases of violence against women in her neighboring villages; the interviews show how female victims still struggle to receive support from their communities and the authorities. We wanted to find out why these two women were willing to speak to the camera about their situations and how common their story is, and what’s happened to them since the interview.

Sharda’s first interviewee is Aruna, is a woman living in the district of Sayla Taluka Province, Gujarat, who left her abusive husband and in-laws two months prior to this interview to live with her parents. She currently has a case pending against her husband’s family in the lower courts. Her case was also reported in the local print media.

Is it unusual for a woman like Aruna to go on camera and describe her experience of domestic abuse?

Violence is very common, but women won’t speak out for fear of being kicked out of their homes. They’ll speak to their families or neighbours, but not to the authorities. After being abused, a woman won’t leave home for two to three days, so people start to gossip and figure out that she’s probably been abused. There aren’t many options for her. The brave ones file for divorce. But even then, oftentimes, in-laws ask for money before signing divorce papers. [Unlawfully, In-laws will often take bribes to influence their sons to sign divorce papers.]

It is very rare for victims to speak out on camera. Producers were shocked to hear that a poor, Dalit woman wanted to speak about all this. But she did because her in-laws harassed her so much, and asked for money from Aruna’s parents. Her husband wanted to kick her out, and when she didn’t accept this, they beat her.

Was Aruna worried that her husband’s family would find out about this interview?

No she wasn’t worried. Aruna wanted the video to screen in her husband’s and in-laws’ village, to show them that she would not be suppressed. They haven’t seen it yet.

When you screened this interview at her own village, what was the reaction by the community? Has anything changed for her since then?

Villagers were proud of her and surprised to learn of her problems. After the screening, they said all women should raise their voices against abuse like Aruna did. Though she hasn’t received any help yet, she has been empowered to speak out in the community.

Sharda also interviewed an anonymous 10-year old girl who was raped by three men from a family feuding with the girl’s own family. After being bribed by the rapists’ parents, the authorities originally sentenced the men with the lesser crime of sexual assault. The girl’s parents approached Nasvarjan, AMM’s partnering NGO that supports Dalit and women’s rights, and fought successfully for the charges to be amended to rape crime.  

Is it unusual for a rape victim here to talk about rape to the media?

This is probably the first time a girl who has been raped [in this area] has ever talked about it on camera.

What has happened to rapists and the victim?

Society is against women. They say the women must have provoked it. For example, villagers claim this girl slept with these guys out of love. At first the villagers didn’t want to support the girl, but Navsarjan went ahead and helped her file the case. The victim is unmarried and will probably be ostracized by the community. But she’s strong and glad she did the interview. When she spoke to the camera, they realized what really happened. Now the community knows the truth and supports the girl.

How did communities react to these videos during the community screenings?

People are now giving more support to women. Ten people have phoned Nasvarjan to make complaints of violence. There are three new reported cases of abuse now. Change is slow but it’s enough for me that three women will file cases against their in-laws and more want to.

Have you noticed an improvement in women’s living conditions since your mother’s time? Since your grandmother’s time?

Yes, it’s improved. People used to kill female children, but that is happening less now. Women can work of their own free will and marry whomever they want now.

What would you like to tell women who become victims of domestic abuse?

Speak openly about your problems. Why are are women afraid when we haven’t even perpetrated the crime? Only when they speak out will their problems be solved.