YOUR IDOL WAS ABUSED AS A CHILD, AND WE REALLY HOPE YOUR HEART SANK

Before we get down to talking about why you should be reading this piece, we’re going to give you a little heads up on certain people who gave openly come out and narrated horrific incidents of abuse.

Akshay Kumar

The king of many hearts came up on public platform and said that he was abused as a child. “A lift-man touched me inappropriately when I was a child. I was very open and frank with my parents so I narrated the incident to them. Later, the same person was caught in a similar incident and was found to be a habitual offender,” the actor said.

Sonam Kapoor

The actress was out with her friends for a movie when it happened. “We stepped outside to have samosas. It was my friend Ekta’s birthday. I was walking behind because I was the tallest. As we walked in, a man appeared from behind and just held my breasts. I was 13-14 years old back then and obviously I hardly had any boobs, but it still it left me scarred. I started crying right there,” she had revealed.

Kalki Koechlin

Everyone’s darling now and your not-so-quintessential queen was sexually abused as a child. “I let someone have sex with me when I was 9 years old. My biggest fear was my mother finding out about it. If I had the confidence or the awareness to talk about it then, I would not have been dealing with the complexes of my own sexuality for all these years,” Kalki opened up.

Anurag Kashyap

One of Bollywood’s ace directors was abused for over 11 years. “And it was not some old man who had abused me. He was 22 years old when he did what he did to me. I met him post that too and he was, to say the least, guilt ridden. But well, I have to thank my love Kalki for curing me of my acrimony,” Kashyap had said back in the day when he was still with Kalki.

Poorna Jagannathan

The actress, who featured in Delhi Belly, was abused by her neighbour and family friend when she was 9 years old. “Obviously he told me not to tell anyone,” she had revealed.

Somi Ali

Former actress and Salman Khan’s alleged ex was abused at the tender age of 5. “I was abused by my house help. It was terrifying to say the least, but I do openly talk about it,” she had said.

This just a list of six people that we have put together here. Sadly, there are many more. 

As a writer, it’s disheartening to give to your reader the worst piece of news at the start of an article. And I’m sorry I did so. But I’m sorrier to have seen or read these people, famous as one may call them, go through something that the society thinks is a small-town, middle-class issue. These incidents make us realise that child abuse, is in fact, is not restricted to class, race, religion or even gender. And every trauma is as bad as the last one. And offenders definitely don’t pick their victims on the basis of how famous they are. Their victims are vulnerable, considered weak and are, in the end, children.

Akshay Kumar’s story made us realise that kids who have been abused in a similar way probably have a fear of lifts now or closed spaces. Sonam Kapoor’s traumatic incident must make us realise that anyone who’s been in her position probably is not comfortable in public spaces now or has a fear of too many people around him/her. Kalki Koechlin’s experience must teach us that children are maybe forced to believe that its okay to have sexual intercourse when you’re so young. Anurag Kashyap’s story must teach us there are may be many boys out there who are undergoing abuse in some form, and are just waiting for some love to find its way to them. Poorna Jagannath and Somi Ali’s story must make us realise that children are threatened and are made to fear for their lives if they utter one word of their abuse.

These are lessons for the society. Lessons on thought process, on perspective and on judgement. And there are many more to be learnt. One must learn that child abuse comes in all forms, without considering about class or wealth. The fact that celebrities have been prone to abuse at such a young age only proves that your ‘average’ child from the neighbourhood is probably more vulnerable than you thought.

For us as a society, if we can ‘learn’ from the trauma of people we consider our idols, we can be a better place to live in.

Communicate, talk and let your children live the life they aim to.