New Delhi: Salman Khan’s former girlfriend Somy Ali is living a peaceful life abroad, but the sexual abuse she suffered as a child still leaves deep scars on her mind. She recently shared these painful memories.
Exploitation of servant at the age of 5
Somi said she first experienced sexual abuse at the age of four. Then, when she was five, her house cook, Abdul, assaulted her. “He would take me to his room on the pretext of showing me chickens and did this two or three times,” Somi says.
He told his mother what had happened. She informed his father, who was then working as a film producer, director, and distributor, over the intercom. His father summoned Abdul and had the other servants beat him severely. The cook was left bleeding and thrown out of the house.
Exploitation happened again in 9 years
Witnessing this violence, little Somi became a victim of trauma herself. Witnessing violence after being physically abused at just 5 years old was a heavy blow to her fragile mind. At 9, the house guards took her to the servant quarters and sexually abused her again. This time, her mother’s reaction was different. Somi said, “Mom said don’t tell anyone, or no one will marry you.”
It is wrong to ask the victim to remain silent.
Somi says that her father punished the culprit, but her mother’s attitude made her even more sad. She said that even a child who has committed no wrongdoing is advised to remain silent and fearful. This social thinking is deeply flawed.
need for change
Somi Ali believes that victims shouldn’t be prevented from speaking out. Families and society should support victims, not try to suppress them. Her revelation highlights the pain faced by many women, where childhood trauma can last a lifetime.