Former Bollywood actress Somy Ali has voiced her support for #Metoo several times and as the movement has begun to take pace in Bollywood, the 90s star has encouraged all other women to also add their voice to it.
Somy Ali, who hailed from Pakistan, shared how she had also gone through traumatic experiences from sexual abuse when she was five years old, only to struggle later to move on quietly after she was raped at the age of 14.
Taking to Instagram, Somy wrote, "As a survivor of sexual abuse at the age of 5 and rape at 14, I would like to salute all those that have spoken up and plan on doing so. I know it is very difficult to do it because I have been there and it took me many years to be able to talk about it. It takes immense amount of courage to share this with the world. It's even harder when you tell those that are close to you and they are supposed to protect you, yet they do nothing. I have been there too and it hurts like hell."
She had earlier shed light on her sexual harassment back in 2015 where she jotted down her story in an autobiography.
In a separate message, she lauded actress Tanushree Dutta for initiating the #MeToo movement in India and appreciated all the victims who stood by the campaign.
In her earlier interviews, Somy has shared that she speaks about her childhood traumas whenever invited for talks at high schools and universities in the US.
"I share this with the students. I believe sharing my personal experiences would encourage others to speak out and not be ashamed about being a victim.”
“I grew up amidst an atmosphere of domestic violence in Pakistan and many of my mom’s friends were victims of physical abuse as well. When I would ask my mom about the bruises on their bodies, I was always told that X aunty or Y aunty fell down the stairs. This was the standard, universal euphemism for physical abuse.”
Somy had featured in Bollywood films in early 90s and later moved to Florida, where she founded an NGO named 'No More Tears'.
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