THRISSUR: Priya (named changed) is a middle-aged woman who lived the trauma of domestic violence. She married her boyfriend against her family’s wishes. A mother of two, it was only late at night that she had some time to herself. Priya came to know about Spotlight, an Instagram account offering a crisis helpline and clinical support for victims of abuse, through a friend. She sent her first message despite many inhibitions, and that saved her life.
Launched just two months ago, Spotlight is a 24X7 helpline offering countrywide support free of cost. With over 50 volunteers, it was the brainchild of 23-year-old Nasma Hassan, a postgraduate in forensic psychology from the University of London.
Priya is just the tip of the iceberg, as many women still live with their abusers at their homes, says Nasma. “All our volunteers are trained by experts in the field, including my faculty in the UK. Considering the fact that a crisis can erupt anytime, we decided to offer our service 24/7,” she adds.
In another case, a young woman who was recently married reached out. “Soon after marriage, her spouse returned to his employment in the Gulf and ended all contact. It has been nine months, and he hasn’t even bothered to call her. For him, she was just a maid to look after his mother. The young woman couldn’t share her travails with her parents and was clueless,” shares Nasma. She has been provided with proper support.
Apart from victims of domestic violence, the volunteers have been contacted by many men living in the shadow of child abuse. “Boys who are victims of sexual abuse carry the shock within. Often the culprit would be a relative or a family friend,” says Nasma.
Her team has been addressing various concerns of people. “Some need just a person to listen to their plight. Some would have identified their condition but are refusing therapy. We offer therapies to people in need,” she says.
A Thrissur native, Nasma plans to return to UK to pursue her doctorate in psychology. “Language is a concern at times, as we offer the service across the country. There are people who use Google Translator to talk to us,” she adds.
Spotlight plans to expand the team by incorporating more people from various parts of the country. A volunteer dedicates four hours every week and they keep rotating. They are trained to communicate to the victims, making Spotlight a unique venture and the need of the hour.