For them, It's like any other day

NEW DELHI: While the restaurants and the pubs were decorated with special offers on the International Women's day, the day was no different for Seema, Sathi (name changed) and other beggars at the streets of Connaught Place. Taunts, pinches, sexist comments are so regular for them along with the domestic violence that they cannot think of a world out of all these.

"Our world is different. We stay at footpaths, take bath at open bathroom or streets, we have not time for shame," said 20-year old Sathi at the streets of Connaught Place. She said that some years back she got married to a fellow beggar who left her after three years when she was pregnant with her fourth child. "He is a drug addict and very violent. It's good that he left me," she said. "We went to the Kali Mandir of Minto Road and got married," she said. She has two-three daughters and one son. She explained that every day they face various abuses which include verbal abuse and sometimes physical too. "Some people use bad languages. Earlier I used to feel bad but now I also shout," she said.

The story of Seema was a bit different. She got married in her village near Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. "My husband used to bite me up every night and then I left home one day. I did not know where to do and reached Delhi to earn money but then I was only 15 and fell into the trap of bad people who gave me two options, begging or sex work. I chose to beg," she said. The 23-year-old explained how she faced sexual violence from different people.