StorySpace - Mala

 

Mala was very excited because Rani ma'am had announced in class that they were going on an excursion to Mysore and everyone was to bring 500/- rupees for the bus and other expenses.

"Amma please give me 500 rupees, Rani Maam is taking us to Mysore in a bus!"

"Mala Kannu, I will be able to come only on Friday to give it your ma'am, I have office work."

"No Ma, Miss asked us to give it by Thursday only. Please give it to me, I will give it to her. I will keep it in my note book." said Mala

"Mala, I am not so sure 500/- is a lot of money." said Amma

"Please please Amma. I will be very careful." pleaded Mala.

Then Mala had taken the money and carefully put it in her note book. 

School was 2 bus stops away and that day the bus was pretty crowded.


She reached school and first thing she did was to open the book.

Hayooo, It was not there! She searched and searched, but just couldn't find it.

For sure Amma is going to be so angry with me, thought Mala. She couldn’t eat her lunch and kept searching her bag frantically. Even her friends did not get an answer from her. She was so angry with herself.

Until 

Mani the gardener saw her.

"Yen aiyutha putta (what happened child)?" he asked with concern.

"Uncle I bought 500/- rupees for my excursion. Someone has taken it from my bag, maybe in the bus and Amma will scold me now." Mala couldn't help the tears from escaping her eyes.

"Ashteyna? Thogo naan kodithini ( Thats all, Here I will give it you)". He said guilelessly.

Mani Uncle gave her 500/- and she couldn’t believe her luck!

"Thank you Uncle" she thanked him again and again and literally skipped her way back to class.


Mala went on that excursion and came back. Then it happened.

Mani Uncle saw her on the day after the excursion and said, "Oh Mala putta, when are you going to give the 5000/- rupees you took from me"

"Uncle, don’t joke, Hahaha,  I took only 500/ and you gave me Uncle…" said Mala with confusion written all over face.

"Hmmm…if you cannot give me the money – then you have to do whatever I ask you to do" he said

"What Uncle…?" Mala's eyes widened.

"Come with me to the bathroom"

"I don't want to go the bathroom Uncle"

"Come with me or should I tell your teacher and mother?"

"No, No, I will come." Mala's voice showed her fear and desperation.

Often Mani Uncle would threaten to tell her mother or teacher and take her to the bathroom. He was touching Mala in her private parts, or he would make Mala touch his private parts...and using her in ways that made her feel uncomfortable and very scared. 

This went on for a whole term

 

Mala was sad and withdrawn in school and at home she avoided talking to anyone. Often she would shut herself in the room or bathroom and refuse to come out.

Until...her teacher called her mother and they realized it had all started just after the excursion.

Finally Mala told her mother the secret; how she had lost 500/- rupees before the excursion and....

rest of the story you know.

  PS:

Mala, luckily opened up to her mother and is now going for therapy and counseling. As for the gardener, well...he was dismissed from the job and handed over to the SJPU (Special Juvenile Police Unit) and is awaiting his verdict.

Mala be SMART, SAY No &SCREAM, MOVE Away, ACTIVELY resist, REMEMBER it is not your fault, TELL -  tell someone who you can TRUST. 

(SMART - is the acronym developed by Muktha Foundation to educate children about child sexual abuse)

This story was made as an audio recording for Buguri Radio channel, Bangalore

(No part of this story bares any resemblance to living persons, it is a figment of my imagination based on true incidents that may have occurred)


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