Fighter Fatima vows to carry on crusade against flesh trade
The 28-year-old Bihar woman, who was feted on Kaun Banega Crorepati recently, began by fighting free of her own husband, educating her own four and daughters of other sex workers.
The brave 28-year-old Bihar woman who fought a gang of sex traffickers, including her in-laws, to rescue 35 young girls from a prostitution racket says she feels a renewed zeal to pursue her mission after her crusade was feted on Kaun Banega Crorepati recently.
Fatima Khatoon, who won Rs 25 lakh on the popular game show hosted by Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, added that it is her aim that no other "daughter fall into the trap of sex traffickers".
"I was very happy when actress Rani Mukerji honoured me on the show," she said in Patna on Saturday. "I believe there is a 'mardaani' in every girl," she added, referring to Rani's latest release that sees her playing a policewoman who cracks down on a sex trafficking racket. "She only needs support to stand up and fight for herself," Fatima said.
Married at the age of nine to a 40-year-old man whose family owned a brothel, Fatima takes immense pride in her journey since. Her crusade has been particularly fruitful on the turf of her husband's family in Araria district's Forbesganj area, where she says only seven women remain in the flesh trade.
"My husband's entire family was engaged in prostitution. I tried to run away four times but on each occasion, my parents forced me to return," she said. Fatima had six children, including four daughters, over the next 10 years.
It was around this time that Fatima came in contact with Apne Aap Women Worldwide, a voluntary organisation working against sex traffickers in the area. But it was at great personal expense that she pursued her association with the group. "I was assaulted by my husband for attending its meetings," she said.
Apne Aap Women Worldwide works with 20,000 victims, survivors and their families in Bihar, West Bengal, Delhi and Maharashtra to dismantle the prostitution racket by introducing girls to alternatives.
Talking about her mission, Fatima says she was born into a community where it was not uncommon to find girls engaged in prostitution. "But I was determined to change the situation," she added, "Things started to change but it was extremely tough in the beginning."
She began by fighting free of her own husband, educating her four daughters and getting daughters of local sex workers enrolled in schools. In her role as a community leader campaigning against sex traffickers, Fatima also gheraoed government officials to press for identity cards for herself and other members of the red light district.
"Over the years, I have succeeded in converting several brothels into normal homes by influencing people to give up sex trade," she added.