stop acid attacks

Stop Acid Attacks gets Indian of the Year 2013 award

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_Nc_kqds2I

Stop Acid Attacks Campaign Song by Ankisha and Sumit

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJlmQYm68D4

Stop Acid Attacks campaign's official video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWVEQhkbYj0

Indian Acid Attack Survivor Finds Love – and a Job as a TV News Anchor

Alok Dixit and Laxmi

MICHELLE OBAMA

See more photos, news and a full bio

Eight years ago, when a spurned suitor threw acid on her face, Laxmi thought her life was over. Finding love and achieving her dream of a career in television seemed impossible. 

But on March 4, honored by First Lady Michelle Obama with the International Women of Courage Award, Laxmi talked about her struggle – and triumph. 

Referring to the man who attacked her when she was 16 after she refused his advances – he was jailed for what he did but apparently his sentence will soon be up – she read a poem she composed: "You haven't thrown acid on my face, you threw it on my dreams ... The time will be burdened for you. Then you will know that I am alive, free and thriving and living my dreams." 

The petite 23-year-old has undergone a dozen operations to repair the disfiguring burns on her face and body. For years she felt suicidal. A second blow was the death of her beloved father, who sank into depression over his daughter's agony. Eventually she emerged from her despair with a determination to prevent other women from suffering a similar fate. 

Laxmi, who goes by her first name, campaigned tirelessly against the easy availability of acid in India – available at any grocery store for 50 cents. Last year, she enjoyed her moment of triumph when India's Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling, ordered the government to regulate the sale. 

"When we see these women raise their voices, and move their feet and empower others to create change, we need to realize that each of us has that same power, and that same obligation," Mrs. Obama said after congratulating Laxmi and nine other women at the State Department ceremony. 

The award is given to women who have demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in advocating peace, justice, human rights and gender equality. 

Finding Love and Opportunity

Perhaps Laxmi's greatest reward is that she has rebuilt her life. "A relative once told me that, given how I looked, I could forget ever finding love or romance," Laxmi told PEOPLE. 

But last year, she met Alok Dixit, a 26-year-old journalist who joined her campaign. The two fell in love and live together in Delhi. "I was attracted to her courage," Dixit told PEOPLE. "She is an exceptional young woman and for me, she is beautiful." 

She's also found a job as a television news anchor. When she got the call from the local news channel, she thought at first it was a cruel hoax. But the call was real, and Laxmi will go on air in a few weeks. 

Finding love and new opportunities has helped Laxmi heal emotionally as well as physically. "How could I hate men or suspect them all?" she said. "My father was the best man in the world, and my brother and Alok love me, so how can I possibly feel that all men are bad just because one man was wicked?"http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20794186,00.html

Women’s Day can be special when women are safe

 8 Mar, 2014

Puerile political posturing is not what the women of India need as we celebrate Women's Day 2014.

The usual platitudes will be trotted out no doubt, by the usual suspects. But to stop the violence against women, we need, as some women’s groups have done, to analyse the root causes of the new phenomenon of gang rapes in our urban streets and rural spaces.

Through the ages, poor, vulnerable and defenceless women all over the world have been sexually exploited.  The just released Violence Against Women report by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), informs us that around one in two women in Britain have been physically or sexually assaulted while the figure for the EU is not much better—one in three women are abused across Europe.

Crack down on mobile porn

Our dalit, adivasi and other impoverished women fall into the category of particularly vulnerable Indian females, as do domestic workers slaving in urban homes.  Rape and sexual abuse are real fears as they go about their daily routine. Yet gang rape, the headlined sort, as happened in Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, is a relatively new feature of Indian cities. In almost all these cases, the men were drunk and watching porn on their mobile phones. Rural Indian men who migrate to cities deal with issues of loneliness and isolation. But for them the norm is a Bollywood movie romance. It is not normal for such men to violently insert a bottle or an iron rod into a woman's vagina. Or a child's. Rape is horrendous enough without these new sadistic ideas being implanted into once simple men’s heads via phone pornography. Rape was unheard of in adivasi society. Yet, recently, a Ranchi friend told me that boys as young as 10 years old go to phone shops where they can buy violent porn phone downloads for as little as Rs 10 a shot. And the porn is not mere sex. It’s violent, degrading porn. The rot is endemic and spreading like wildfire not just in major metros but throughout the country.

If we are serious about protecting our women, protecting our culture and protecting our society, we need a stringent crackdown on porn creation and distribution. This is merely the tip of the iceberg and no amount of policing or street lights will protect Indian women if our young boys (and old men) continue this trend of violent addictive porn. Several cases of men photographing their sexual escapades and then blackmailing the girls involved, intimidating them into having sex with other men, and sending pictures across their social circles, all point to a deeper malaise. We are turning into a sick society.

Role of movies, TV

Bollywood and regional film-makers need to check the violence against women depicted on screen. Activist actors like Aamir Khan must aggressively create opinion in film studios for movies which will not stereotypically denigrate and typecast women as mere sexual objects. Likewise, with the advertising world. It is shocking that TV ads continue to show brainless beauties as eye candy ready to fall into the arms of a man with the best bike, car, deo or whisky. We've come a long way baby?!!!  Watch one hour of TV.  It’s pretty pathetic actually. Advertising has not moved with the times. It’s stuck in a stereotypical rut. Only more slick.

What needs to be done

We need special forces, a non-local, national police force to tackle rape in rural areas. The local police are generally from dominant castes and refuse to take action against their own caste perpetrators when dalits or adivasis are raped. Most dalit and adivasi women do not report violence. Studies show that only one per cent of the cases actually filed end in convictions. Almost all cases show that dalit and adivasi women are punished by police officers when trying to file a complaint or threatened into remaining silent by means of physical assaults and rape.  Reports reveal that the women in most cases are denied their right to medical treatment for their injuries.

Women’s groups need to educate young girls to respect themselves and not to be pressured into silly potentially endangering behaviour such as allowing themselves to be videoed nude or in sexual encounters. Education to respect women must begin in middle school. We need creative, inspiring films and videos not boring government propaganda. If film stars help with these campaigns, they could change a potentially explosive situation. We would be cleansing our society of an enormous threat from within. On this Womens' Day, start a campaign. To help Indian society. To help make India safer for your daughters, wives, mothers and sisters.

http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/women-s-day-can-be-special-only-when-women-are-safe

Marry a widow, get a government sponsored honeymoon!

News18 | Tue Mar 11, 2014 

#Raipur #Chhattisgarh In a bid to restore the lost confidence of widows, an organisation- Nature's Care and Social Welfare Society, has decided to honour the men in Raipur who marry widows by sponsoring the couple's honeymoon trip.

They announced, during an event in Raipur, that the couple would be given 4 days and 3 nights honeymoon package for free. The couple would be able to choose from 45 destinations around Asia, according to a report in Dainik Bhaskar.

The organisation has also offered to appeal to the state government for jobs, house among other things for the couple if they require any such help.

The director of the organisation DR Vineeta Pandey said,"This campaign is a step towards providing widows with their lost respect."

Marriages which were fixed at the event will take place on the auspicious occassion of Akshay Tritiya which falls on May 2 this year, she added.

75 men and 55 women, some of them bearing children, attended the event held at Maharashtra Mandal in Choubey Colony. Men and women from various regions including Raipur, UP, MP, Maharashta, Gujarat, Odisha and Haryana also attended the event.

http://www.news18.com/news/chhattisgarh/marry-a-widow-get-a-government-sponsored-honeymoon-387939.html

Women entering Bara Imambara will now have to cover their heads

OMAR RASHID

A woman walks with her head covered at the Bara Imambara in Lucknow on Monday. Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury

The rule came into force on Monday

If you are a woman looking to explore the grand complex of Bara Imambara in Lucknow, you will have to ensure that you cover your head. For it is now compulsory for women to cover their heads before entering the historic monument.

The Imambara administration has accepted the two-year-old demand of the local Shia community to implement a dress code for women entering the religious site, built in the late 18th century by Asaf-ud-Daula, Nawab of Lucknow.

The demand was formalised into a rule by the secretary of the Hussainabad Trust, ADM west, H.P. Shahi, after renewed calls by the influential Shia cleric, Kalbe Jawad. Supporters of the Shia cleric had been on a protest dharna at the site for the last five days. Mr. Shahi said the decision was based on the consideration that the Imambara was “a religious site, highly revered by the Shias.”

While only those women with their heads covered will be allowed on the premises of the Chota Imambara and the Bara Imambara, others can acquire dupattas from a counter before entering the premises.

Move draws flak

The rule, which came into force on Monday, drew sharp criticism from women’s groups. Tahira Hasan, vice-president, All-India Progressive Women’s Association, said it was a violation of “women’s prerogative,” and the timing was politically motivated. There is no tradition of covering the head at the Imambara, she said.

The Bara Imambara complex, one of the grandest in the State capital, is the site of mourning for Shias during Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar.

Cleric Kalbe Jawad was not available for comment.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/women-entering-bara-imambara-will-now-have-to-cover-their-heads/article5771209.ece

Laxmi Poem

Laxmi's poem on #Valentine Day. #BlackRose

'Gulab Gang' stay order removed, to release tomorrow DC/ Agencies

06th Mar 2014

Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday cleared the release of controversy-clad 'Gulaab Gang', a movie reportedly based on the life of Bundelkhand activist Sampat Pal, the founder of the famous Gulabi Gang.

The film's makers promised that they would run a disclaimer saying the movie has nothing to do with Sampat Pal or her work. 

Earlier on Wednesday, 'Gulaab Gang' producers had moved a larger bench of Delhi C against the staying order of the movie.

Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva had stayed the release of the film on Wednesday, saying that if it is allowed to be released it will cause damage to the reputation of Sampat Pal. 

The court said, "Reputation once lost is lost forever and can not come back and even can't be compensated with monetary terms,"

The producers' counsel had argued that the intention of Pal from the start was to derail the film's release at the last moment as she took no action, till filing of the case, after sending a cease and desist notice back in June 2013.

He had also offered that a disclaimer can be run at the start of the film that the incidents depicted in it are not in any manner related to Pal, her life or her organisation.

The bench, however, had rejected the offer and said "simply saying so will not do". It had also questioned Pal as to why she moved the court at the "nth hour". "You should have come a month back," the court had said. Her lawyers had also agreed that she moved the court very late.

Activist Sampat Pal had moved to the high court seeking a restraining order on the release of 'Gulaab Gang'. She told that the filmmakers did not take her permission before making the movie. She also alleged that the lead actress playing her character was shown in bad light in the promos of the film, which will affect her reputation in real life. The movie is directed by debutant Soumik Sen.

'Gulaab Gang' will release on Friday, March 7.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140306/entertainment-bollywood/article/gulab-gang-stay-order-removed-release-tomorrow

‘Justice For Acid Attack Victims Should Be Compensative And Reparative’

Although the Supreme Court’s ruling on the regulation of sale of acid and compensation brought some hope to acid attack victims, activists and victims feel that that the larger question of effective implementation and rehabilitation for survivors remains unanswered.

NUPUR SONAR

July 22, 2013

The Supreme Court bench headed by Justice RM Lodha on Thursday directed all states to formulate rules to regulate the sale of acid within three months. In its interim order the court said that only those aged above 18 who can produce an identity card bearing their residential address can buy corrosive substances. It also said that all retailers must declare their acid stock within 15 days of an order being placed, failing which they can be slapped with a fine of Rs 50,000 and their stock confiscated.

“Regulation of acid is extremely complicated and there needs to be a more stringent mechanism put in place for it to be effectively regulated. Regulating the sale of acid might be possible in a place like Delhi, but what about remote areas in India where check mechanisms are known to be poor?,” says Rebecca John, a senior advocate at the Supreme Court.  Alok Dixt of Stop Acid Attacks also reflected the same sentiment while saying that the sale of acid is not as simple as making the owner of the shop responsible. He pointed out that in Bangladesh the enactment and implementation of two laws- Acid Offences Prevention Act and Acid Control Act as been effective in bringing down the number of acid attacks. In Bangladesh it is mandatory to complete the investigation of such attacks within 30 days and the court hearing to be completed within 90 days of the incident.

Bangladesh has also set up Acid Prevention Tribunals to exclusively deal with cases of acid attacks. “If Bangladesh can set up separate tribunals to deal with such cases why can’t India? Cases of acid attacks should be fast tracked. Justice delayed is justice denied after all. ,” says 28-year old Sonali Mukherjee who was attacked 10 years ago. Sonali’s case is being heard by the Ranchi High Court but the perpetrators of the attack continue to roam scott free.  “Most cases of acid attacks fall apart because the victim is unable to identify the perpetrator due to grave physical disability that includes visual impairment in most cases, says John.  Acid attacks are the most gruesome form of gender violence that prevails in India and there is a whole gamut of things that need to be done by the state for acid attacks victims starting with more introspection and stronger investigation of these cases she adds.

The Supreme Court has also raised the compensation to victims to Rs 3 lakh and directed that states should pay the victim Rs 1 lakh within 15 days and the rest within two months of the assault, while pointing out that the current amount that ranges between Rs 5,000 and Rs1.5 lakh is inadequate to meet the costs of treatment and rehabilitation. While the activists and victims alike are happy about the acknowledgement of acid attacks as a specific offence and the raise in compensation they feel that it is a pittance for the lifelong hardship that they have to endure.

Mukherjee whose case received much media attention and support from civil society organisations says, “Rs 3 lakh is not enough for victims who have been completely uprooted from their lives after the attack. One surgery alone costs Rs 2 lakh.” In the last ten years Sonali has undergone 28 surgeries and her treatment has cost Rs 40 lakh. “Although the government has made a provision for free medical treatment foracid attack victims, the question that needs to be asked is if government hospitals are equipped to treat acid victims,” says Dixit while also emphasising on the need for rehabilitation of the victims.

“ While there has been a provision made for victims what about survivors?, asks Pratima Choudhary who was attacked along with her sister Bhavna in Meerut in 2003. She was the sole bread winner of her family when the sisters were attacked by a 65-year old man whose advances Bhavna had rejected. While Bhavna sustained 52 per cent injuries, parts of Bhavna’s hands were burned in the attack. Pratima is still undergoing treatment while Bhavna fends for her family by taking up odd stitching jobs. Even in the case of 14-year Tuba Tabassum who was attacked last year in Bihar, it is day to day survival that the family has to fight for. After her attack her father, a daily wage labourer had to move to Delhi and is running from pillar to post to meet her medical costs which come up to Rs 30 lakh.

There was much jubilation in 2009, when the Law Commission came out with its report on acid attacks. However, it was only 4 years later with the Justice Verma Committee’s Recommendations that acid attacks were made a specific offence and now the Supreme Court’s directions on regulation of sale of acid and raise in compensation.  “While mechanisms for justice for acid attack victims continue to move at a snail’s pace, too many have been burned, too many lives have been destroyed and continue to live in darkness. Real Justice for acid attack victims means complete compensation and rehabilitation for victims”, says Dixit.

http://www.tehelka.com/justice-for-acid-attack-victims-should-be-compensative-and-reparative/

Nupur Sonar     More by the author >

Acid Attack Victims: Still Faceless In Despair

Raw deal The law ignores the urgency of compensation as a measure to ensure justice.
Photo: Ankit Agrawal

What do I live for?” asks 14-year old Tuba Tabassum. It’s a muffled utterance but the rage in her voice is palpable. Six months after acid devoured much of her face, every breath is an effort in vengeance. A man threw acid on her face after she rejected his advances. She still vividly remembers the morning she was attacked on her way to school, in her native village in Bihar. Her refusal left her face burning, as the acid ripped through her flesh, eating away her nose and welding her lips together. It dissolved her facial bones, blinding her partially. Six months after the attack, Tabassum now has trouble breathing and swallowing solid food. Once a bright class IX student, the promise of a future now eludes her.

Although the accused and his accomplices are behind bars, it is day-to-day survival that is wearing out Tabassum and her family. Due to lack of medical facilities in her village, Tabassum and her father were forced to move to New Delhi, where they have been running pillar-to-post, in an attempt to finance her treatment that costs Rs 30 lakh. Her father now works as a contract labourer in the city, earning Rs 5000- 6000 a month, depending on the amount of work he manages to complete. “Although I don’t have the financial capacity to survive in this city or have my daughter treated, I am here because right now, her treatment is the priority,” he says.

According to a study conducted by Cornell Law School in 2002, India, Bangladesh and Cambodia have the highest incidence of acid attacks in the world.

In 2009, the 226th Law Commission report suggested an increasing trend in acid related violence across India. At present, statistics available on acid attacks in India are scattered and inaccurate. It wasn’t until this year that acid attacks were recognised as a specific criminal offence.

According to Bengaluru-based NGO Campaign and Struggle Against Acid Attacks on Women 53 cases were reported in 2006. “The numbers that have been reported in the media and cited by studies are skewed and hence fail to draw attention to the gravity of the situation. But what should prompt the State to take action beyond recognising acid attacks as a specific offence in the absence of accurate statistics is the amount of physical, psychological and economical reconstruction that is required for an acid attack victim to survive,” says Madhu Mehra, a Delhi-based lawyer and executive director of Partners in Law and Development, a legal resource group.

Another such survivor is Anu Mukherjee, 30. Orphaned at the age of nine, she went on to become a dancer at a prominent hotel in Delhi, managing to build a life for herself and her brother, who was still in school then. A colleague threw acid on her face because of competition at her workplace. She sustained severe burn injuries that disfigured her face and blinded her. Following a lengthy trial, Anu received compensation from the guilty but it did not cover her medical costs, nor did it compensate for the loss of livelihood. For the past 9 years, Anu has been confined to her house in a New Delhi slum and depends on her brother for survival.

Even in the case of Sonali Mukherjee, who was attacked in 2003, and received much media attention, a compensation of Rs 50,000 came in from the government six years after the gruesome attack. Nine years and 26 surgeries later, which cost close to Rs 30 lakh, she still has another 5-6 surgeries lined up this year.

Even as the recent amendments to the anti-rape Bill introduces acid attacks as a separate offence with a minimum punishment of 10 years, extendable to life imprisonment and increases the amount of government compensation to Rs 10 lakh, the State needs to devise a plan for medical treatment, counseling and rehabilitation of acid attack victims.

The 2009 Law Commission report on acid attacks had proposed the setting up of a Criminal Injuries Compensation and Rehabilitation Board to issue directions to appropriate authorities that would ensure proper medical, psychological and legal assistance to the victims and issue directions for their rehabilitation in consultation with the Centre and the states. The commission’s report was followed by a National Commission for Women (NCW) scheme for relief and rehabilitation of acid attacks victims. The NCW also proposed constituting a Criminal Injuries Compensation and Rehabilitation Board. Four years later, the board is yet to be formed, confirms NCW chairperson Mamta Sharma.

Although there is a scheme for compensation of victims under section 357 of the Criminal Procedure Code, it is only disbursed at the end of trial. “Under the existing government rules, the procedure for obtaining compensation is so onerous that by the time the victim gets the money, it is too little and too late,” says Kirti Singh, former member of the Law Commission. Taking this into account, the Law Commission had recommended that the Criminal Injuries Compensation and Rehabilitation Board should provide compensation immediately without procedural complications.

“The government should focus on making amendments and should stop taking suggestions made by welfare bodies so lightly. In most cases, amendments take too long and when they are made, they are inadequate, half hearted and fail to do substantial justice to victims,” she says.

So far the Goa and West Bengal governments have cleared compensation packages for acid-attack victims, yet the budgetary allocations of upto Rs 10 lakh and Rs 2 lakh per victim respectively are petty compared to the medical costs incured by the victims. Other states are yet to follow suit.

In the absence of a legislation that guarantees immediate compensation, most victims and their families are left to fend for themselves. “The definition of justice needs to go beyond the narrow prism of penalty. Justice for acid attack victims should be reparative and compensative,” says Rebecca John, a senior advocate at the Supreme Court. She adds that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for victims of violence, with acid attack victims as the priority, should have been set up with specific budgetary allocations from the Centre.

In Bangladesh, when the instance of acid attacks peaked in 2002, laws that controlled the sale of acid were put in place. Since then, the incidence of acid attacks has gone down by 15-20 percent. The Supreme Court of India has directed all states to devise a policy on the regulation of sale of acid due to its easy availability. So far, only the Tamil Nadu government has introduced a bill to regulate the sale of acid.

http://www.tehelka.com/still-faceless-in-despair/

Marriage Changes Women's priorities: Survey

Marriage marks a palpable shift not only in the life of women, but also in the way they view their priorities. One of the examples is her career that moves down from first to fourth place after becoming a daughter-in-law, says a survey conducted by one of the leading matrimonial sites.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day on March 8, Jeevansathi.com has done a survey to understand woman's priorities in life before and after marriage.

The survey was conducted on more than 1,500 women, who were asked to rank their priorities in life before matrimony and post wedding. Career and job were given number one spot with 53 percent of women putting it as their number one concern. The tables turned post the walk down the aisle with women ranking career as number four priority. 

So when asked about priorities after marriage, 51 percent of women indicated their future partner as their number one priority, said a statement.

“The survey clearly shows a tangible shift in women’s priorities before and after marriage and also throws light on the outlook of women towards their lives. Indian women have pristine clarity towards what they value most in life with career and husband becoming their top priorities before and after marriage,” said Prakash Sangam, business head, Jeevansathi.com.

Also, 25 percent of women ranked their parents as the number two priority in their lives before marriage. But an equal number of women ranked their parents as number three priority after marriage since their own children take up the second place in the priority list.

Money featured on number three in their priority list before marriage, while post marriage it is filial duties that take precedence over monetary concerns. 

The survey also says that post marriage, Indian women hardly spend time on their hobbies and travelling.
http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/Marriage-Changes-Womens-priorities-Survey/2014/03/06/article2094195.ece?utm_content=buffer373bf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer#.UxpUbD9dXv8

US Army sex assault prosecutor suspended for 'groping'

Washington:  The US Army's top prosecutor overseeing sexual assault cases has been suspended over allegations that he groped a female lawyer working for him and tried to kiss her, officers said on Thursday.

The suspension of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Morse marks the latest embarrassing setback for the US military as it battles a sexual assault crisis that has sparked calls for a radical overhaul of its judicial system.

The allegations were first reported by the Stars and Stripes newspaper and confirmed to AFP by military officers who spoke on condition of anonymity.

No charges have been filed against Morse, who supervises the army's special victim prosecutors that handle sexual assault, domestic abuse and crimes against children cases.

The female army lawyer has alleged Morse groped her and attempted to kiss her against her will.

The alleged incident took place in 2011 in a hotel room at a sexual assault legal conference in Alexandria, Virginia, officials said, before Morse was named to his current job.

Morse also served as the lead prosecutor in the criminal case against Staff Sergeant Robert Bales, who pleaded guilty to a mass murder of Afghan civilians in 2012.

"We can confirm that this matter is currently under investigation and that the individual in question has been suspended from duties, pending the outcome of the investigation," said a defense official.

Reports of sexual assaults in the US military jumped 60 percent last year, though officials say the surge shows victims have more confidence their cases will be taken seriously.

About 5,400 cases of sexual assault were reported in fiscal year 2013, compared to 3,374 reports in 2012, according to the Pentagon.

High-profile cases

There have been a spate of high-profile sexual assault cases in the past two years, leading to a series of initiatives and prompting President Barack Obama to express outrage over the problem.

A proposal that would have stripped military commanders of the authority to decide if sexual assault cases should go to trial went down to defeat in the Senate on Thursday.

Top military leaders had strongly opposed the bill, arguing that it would have undercut commanders' ability to crack down on sexual assault within their units.

As senators debated how to quell the scourge of sexual assaults in the ranks, court-martial proceedings opened this week against a US Army general who is accused of forcing a female officer to perform oral sex against her will.

Brigadier Jeffrey Sinclair, a former deputy commander with the 82nd Airborne Division, pleaded guilty to adultery and several other charges Thursday but his lawyers said he will fight the sexual assault charges, media reported.

At a court room in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Sinclair admitted to the affair with the captain and "inappropriate relationships" with two other women, as well as possessing pornography.

Under the military's legal code, adultery is prohibited.

Sinclair's defense team had said previously the general was ready to admit his affair with his subordinate.
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/us-army-sex-assault-prosecutor-suspended-for-groping-492519?h_related_also_see

US honours Indian acid attack victim with International Women of Courage Award

Updated: March 05, 2014 

Washington:  Laxmi, a victim of acid attack and a standard-bearer for the movement to end acid attacks, has been selected by the US for the prestigious International Women of Courage Award.

Laxmi received the award from US First Lady Michelle Obama at an awards ceremony at the State Department in Washington.

She was 16 when an acquaintance threw acid on her face while she waited at a bus stop in New Delhi's busy Khan Market in 2005, disfiguring her permanently.

Her attacker, a friend's 32-year old brother, planned to use the acid to destroy Laxmi's face after she refused to respond to his romantic advances.

"Many acid attack victims never return to normal life: they often go to great lengths to hide their disfigurement, many forgo education or employment rather than appear in public, and suicide is not uncommon. But Laxmi did not hide," the State Department said.

"She became the standard-bearer in India for the movement to end acid attacks. She made repeated appearances on national television, gathered 27,000 signatures for a petition to curb acid sales, and took her cause to the Indian Supreme Court," it said.

"Laxmi's petition led the Supreme Court to order the Indian central and state governments to regulate immediately the sale of acid, and the Parliament to make prosecutions of acid attacks easier to pursue," the State Department said.

"Much is left to be done, and Laxmi continues to advocate on behalf of acid attack victims throughout India for increased compensation, effective prosecution and prevention of acid attacks, and rehabilitation of survivors," it said.

Secretary of State John Kerry, who was earlier scheduled to be present at the awards ceremony, is now travelling to Kiev in the aftermath of the Ukrainian situation. He was represented by Deputy Secretary of State Heather A Higginbottom.

Last year, Nirbhaya, a courageous 23-year-old girl whose brutal gang rape on a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012, triggered widespread protests, received the prestigious award.

The award was presented to Laxmi along with other awardees from countries across the globe.

Established in 2007, the annual Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award honours women around the globe who have exemplified exceptional courage and leadership in advocating for human rights, women's equality, and social progress, often at great personal risk.

This is the only Department of State award that pays tribute to emerging women leaders worldwide.

Among other awardees are Nasrin Oryakhil (Afghanistan), Roshika Deo (Fiji), Bishop Rusudan Gotsiridze (Georgia), Iris Yassmin Barrios Aguilar (Guatemala), Fatimata Toure (Mali), Maha Al Muneef (Saudi Arabia), Oinikhol Bobonazarova (Tajikistan), Ruslana Lyzhychko (Ukraine) and Beatrice Mtetwa (Zimbabwe)http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/us-honours-indian-acid-attack-victim-with-international-women-of-courage-award-491433