Indian café run by acid attack survivors offers empowerment, opportunity

The café is a project by ‘Stop Acid Attacks’, a group committed to ending acts of violence against women

Sheroes’ Hangout opened in December 2014 in Agra, India, as a crowd funding project by ‘Stop Acid Attacks’, a group committed to ending acts of violence against women. Its “pay as you wish” contributions go toward the rehabilitation of survivors of acid violence in India.

For this reason, and for its delicious snacks and coffee, the café is gaining popularity around the world.

Rupa, a 22-year old survivor of acid violence and one of the five women who run the café, says about her experience, “I was exhilarated the first time a group of Indian tourists who visited the café told me how much they appreciate my courage. Since then, we have had regular customers who come here not only to enjoy a cup of joe but also to talk to us.”



PHOTO: SHEROES HANGOUT

Her colleague, 20-year-old Chanchapl Kumari was attacked in 2012 by a man after she rejected his marriage proposal. She is now recovering from her fifth reconstructive surgery. Taking pride in her work, she notes, “Our visitors are mostly people from around the world who hear about us in the news. They come here to see how acid attack survivors like us are coping with our lives.”

These inspiring women -- Rupa, Ritu Saini, Gita Mahor, Neetu Mahor and Kumari -- lived an isolated life for several years, dealing with the pain of a disfigured face and a scarred soul, until a New Delhi-based Facebook campaign by the name of "Stop Acid Attacks", which was set up on International Women’s Day in 2013, came to their aid. SAA works with acid attack survivors in India, providing them with legal and medical help as well as support for dealing with the trauma of the attack.

The National Crime Records Bureau estimates that more than 1,000 acid attacks occur around the country every year, though the majority of them go unreported because of the threat that victim may be attacked again.



Data collected by SAA has gathered information about 430 survivors, 350 of whom were attacked in the last two years. It is in touch with, and has assisted, more than 70 of them. According to the data collected, about 70% of victims are women, more than 50% of whom are attacked by rejected ‘lovers’.

SAA reached out to Gita Mahor, 42, and her daughter Neetu, 26, who were attacked with acid 23 years ago by Mahor’s husband. Both were left with disfigured faces and blurred vision. With no one else to support them, the mother and daughter were forced to continue living with their attacker. To relieve them from their everyday distress and further domestic violence, SAA provided them an avenue of earning a livelihood so they could gradually move away from their home and lead a happier life.

PHOTO: SHEROES HANGOUT

SAA founder Alok Dixit explains, “Acid attack survivors’ lives become even more traumatic when they start facing rejection from society due to their disfigured faces. They need someone to hold their hand and restore their self-confidence.”

Today, Mahor and Neetu have the confidence and liberty to dress up every morning and go to the café to serve coffee and share their stories with customers.



One of the objectives of SAA at Sheroes’ Hangout was to provide the victims with training to build skills in their area of interest. With this initiative, Mahor was able to take a baking course at a hotel in Agra and will soon be serving cookies and cupcakes to customers. Neetu, who is almost blind, is taking singing lessons from an SAA volunteer. She says, “I love to welcome guests at the café cheerfully so that they know we are coping well.”

Saini, 19, played volleyball for India before she was brutally attacked with acid by a male cousin in 2012 over a property dispute. As a result, she lost her left eye and is unable to compete in the sport anymore. She now handles accounts at the café. “My life changed ever since I joined SAA,” she says. “With the emotional support I received, I regained the confidence to go out with my face uncovered. Now I don’t care what people think of my disfigured face.”

A litre of acid can be purchased for just 50 cents in India, making it an affordable option for attackers and is highlighted as one of the biggest reasons behind the high rate of acid attacks in the country.



Rupa, whose stepmother attacked her with acid when she was just 12, is now a skilled tailor and an amateur apparel designer. The outfits she designs are exhibited and sold at the café. “Sheroes’ Hangout is not only giving us a chance to move our lives forward; it is also getting our stories out,” she says.

“True that,” adds Shikha Singh, 20, a student of fashion design who finds herself in the café at least once a week. “I would never have known about the reality behind acid attack survivors had I not met these women. It is amazing the way they are working to fulfill their dreams despite their hurdles. I now prefer to spend on Sheroes’ Hangout rather than a McDonald’s or KFC. At least I’m sure the money will be used for a good cause.”

This article originally appeared on Takepart.