'My friend's brother forced me to undress when I was 6’

She was the privileged first girl child in her family but her innocence ended early. The ordeal still continues. She believed that being a girl was a curse, at least in the kind of society we live in. But she deserved to feel lighter; she needed to unburden herself.

Every day, I’m made to feel like a sex toy. It began early, at the tender age of six, when I was supposed to be playing with toys.

I have a loving family, but there are things that can’t be revealed to them, or to anyone. And I never thought I’ll narrate what happened to me, if it hadn’t been for the December 16 gang-rape.

The courage the 23-year-old victim showed in the face of death and torment touched me too, like it did to everyone who went out to seek justice for her.

I have been quiet all these years because I was afraid. I believed that being a girl was a curse, at least in the kind of society we live in. But I deserve to feel lighter; I need to unburden myself.

As I said, I was six and loved playing with toys. My joint family pampered me as I was the first girl child in the family. I was a happy child. But the dream ended early when one day I went to a friend’s place to play video games.

She had a brother who was six-seven years older. When I entered her room, my friend — who was as innocent as me — left the room, saying, “I am not going to play. Bhaiya just scolded me.”

Unconcerned, I continued to play the game. I don’t remember how it happened, but I suddenly fell off the bed by accident.

I was hurt in the thigh and the pain rose steadily. My friend’s brother insisted on checking on the injury and asked me to remove my pants.

The injury wasn’t visible, but his hands crept up towards my private parts. I was confused, awkward, and even scared. I suddenly jumped up, pulled up my pants and ran away.

The victim was first molested at the tender age of six by a friend's brother. It's the first time she has ever been able to narrate the incident. Thinkstock Photo