A lively young woman in her 20s faced her worst nightmare when she became a victim of an acid attack in 2009. Her life was never the same after the tragic incident.
A few years after the incident, Shaheen Malik has found her purpose in life. After helping several other acid attack victims before, this 38-year-old has started a foundation to rescue and aid the survivors.
Shaheen grew up dreaming of becoming a doctor or an IAS officer. However, her conservative family background and financial constraints didn’t let her pursue her desires.
Before the attack, she was pursuing MBA and worked as a part-time student counselor.
Shaheen has been assisting acid attack survivors with legal matters, therapy, and job placement. She is also a part of the campaign against the selling of acid in stores.
“I hid myself after the attack. I was depressed and unhappy. No one can ever imagine the financial crisis of an acid attack survivor as medicine and treatment will cost a lot. I lost one of my eyes and, I can partially see through my other eye. There is no day I have lived without medication and, it is a lifelong process and pain. It’s not just me but with other acid attack survivors as well,” Shaheen Malik said while speaking to Life Beyond Numbers.
“One day I decided to step out even though I feared people’s comments. That’s when I realized that several other survivors are also on the same boat as I was. I decided to help them after living for years behind closed doors,” she said.
She started getting calls from acid attack victims from various parts of India to seek her help. This led her to take social work as a full-time job and, Shaheen started assisting the needy.
“In 2013, I began working with various organizations to help the survivors. Until today I have helped around 300 survivors to get their compensation, legal help, and medical care,” Shaheen said.
After working with several other organizations for years, she decided to start her own NGO. Calling it Brave Souls Foundation, she wanted to give justice to the survivors.
“I’ve learned a lot from my experience after my attack. I’m in charge of the nationwide Campaign Against Acid Attacks. I contact survivors, ensure that they receive therapy and counseling, and have their FIRs filed and statements collected. I also strive to get them jobs so that they may become self-sufficient. As an activist for acid attack victims, I was introduced to other people’s suffering and became more sensitive. Helping them makes me feel as if I’ve made a small but significant value to society,” she said.
Also, read: Meet The Man Behind These Powerful Images Of Acid Attack Survivors, Winning Hearts On The Internet
She further added, “I didn’t find any better name that could suit the organization. The survivors are the brave souls who are working towards their betterment, fighting for their stand. They do not opt to take revenge.”
Under Brave Souls Foundation, Shaheen provides various support to the survivors. She also started ‘Apna Ghar‘ to rehabilitate the acid attack victims which was inaugurated in October 2021.
Until today, through the foundation, over 37 victims have benefited.
India has one of the highest rates of acid attacks globally, and it continues to face the difficult task of bringing justice to victims. As per the Acid Survivors Trust International, almost 300 similar attacks were recorded in 2016, whereas the National Crime Records Bureau registered 283 such attacks.
“We need to teach our sons to be more sensitive to another gender. From a young age, they should be educated about consent, accepting rejection, and anger management. The primary cause of this crime is patriarchal arrogance and a sexist mindset among men. In my speeches, I typically tell the youth that it’s fine if a girl says no and that her choice should be honored. Don’t regard it as if it were a matter of self-esteem,” she shared.
Shaheen continues to be a source of inspiration for all of us who are fighting our fights. She fights twice as hard as we do, and she does so with a smile.