Pinky Kumari Ray, A Truly Harrowing Story
In this article, we will be sharing a horrific series of events that would be utterly mortifying for anyone to withstand. They are then made all the more heart-breaking on recognising that these atrocities were endured by a young girl in her early teens. Please note that the tragic and appalling events described below may be distressing for some readers.
Pinky Kumari Ray was just 15 years old when she sought refuge at the Nepali Antardristi safe house. A little over a year earlier her mother had been murdered, thrusting Pinky into the parental role of caregiver for her younger sister and brother, whilst her father was forced to seek work over the border in India. One year later, a suspect in connection with her mother’s murder has now been apprehended by Nepal’s authorities.
Her father’s absence placed Pinky in a position of vulnerability resulting in a string of sexual abuse from a wealthy male within her village. The relentless sexual abuse ultimately led to Pinky becoming pregnant.
Upon hearing of her pregnancy, the wealthy male (whose identity remains undisclosed) coerced Pinky into ingesting an unidentified substance, falsely claiming it to be “medicine” that would safely terminate the pregnancy. He promised to marry Pink following the abortion, but as soon as the arduous procedure was complete, her abuser fled. News of Pinky’s ordeals spread throughout the village, and this soon led to her abuser’s family and relatives becoming embroiled in the situation, with it quickly becoming apparent that it was far from safe for Pinky to remain in the village.
For her own safety, a women’s welfare organisation intervened, providing temporary shelter and protection for Pinky, before referring her on to Antardristi. Sadly, Pinky’s heart-wrenching tale did not end there.
In yet another agonising turn of events, on the very day Pinky arrived at the Antardristi safe house, she received word that her younger sister had been poisoned back in the village where they grew up. Sadly, her sister did not recover. She was just 13 at the time of her passing. This then left only her brother in their family home, who then left to join her father in India.
The numerous harrowing experiences Pinky has endured during her young life has unsurprisingly led to various mental health complications, including attempts at taking her own life. Alongside the psychological challenges being faced, Pinky’s physical health was also deteriorating to alarming levels.
Deeply concerned for her well-being, Antardristi staff arranged for Pinky to undergo a comprehensive medical examination at a health facility with ties to the charity. It is then through this examination that a tumour was discovered on her breast, which necessitates swift removal to mitigate the risk of the onset of cancer. Her father has been informed of this tragic news and he is now said to be preparing for the journey back from India to be present during the necessary operation.
Given everything that she has been through, Pinky’s strength and resilience is admirable, to say the least. On hearing of her ordeals and current situation, YesTax’s Guiding Light Foundation has already stepped in to cover the expenses for Pinky’s cancer surgery, which is scheduled for the second week in October.
Pinky’s journey thus far has been undeniably and utterly horrific, but sadly her story is not unique.
All of us at Guiding Light and YesTax would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has contributed to our cause, and in doing so enabled us to make life-saving differences for young girls just like Pinky.
We are fully committed to doing more to assist Pinky as well as the many others who have endured similarly horrifying experiences. If you would like to join us in helping girls like Pinky, then by pledging just £10 a month, collectively we can make huge differences to so many who have faced such heart-breaking ordeals.
If you would like to help the Guiding Light Foundation and are able to pledge £10 a month, or more, then please reach out to ali@yes.tax
YesTax. Positively Better.
Please note that the photo at the top of this article is not of Pinky but is used here for illustration purposes only