The story of sexual and domestic abuse often finds its space in the public from every nook and corner of the world in some form or the other. The incidents have devastated the lives of women and their family members in the worst possible scenario.
Marking her way out of one such atrocity one survivor Gurpreet Kaur of sexual violence stood bold in providing a platform to the sexual and domestic violence survivors. Gurpreet was just six when she reminisces the horrors of her being sexually abused.
Gurpreet Kaur extended her support to those victimized by such assaults through an Instagram page that she created with the name ‘The Kaur Movement’ in 2019. This platform became a part of the revolution and brought the survivors of the same sort on a platform together to share their stories and work for them and assist them in the battle ahead.
On being asked about the movement that she began Kaur said, “I created (the page) just for my own healing,” she said, adding that the growth the platform has received was unexpected, but shows how many people need support.”
The movement has now taken widespread move in the US in recent times. Last month a US-based Indian woman Manpreet Kaur died by suicide after years of exploitation and abuse she faced from her husband in New York over the desire for a boy child.
The video of her husband beating her made rounds on social media and a couple of days later Manpreet posted another video telling about her choosing death and apologized to her family members towards the video’s end.
A post inviting people to the candlelight march on the 14th of August over the sad demise of Manpreet Kaur was posted on the Instagram page.
What is ‘The Kaur Movement?’
The Kaur Movement is a place for victims of sexual and physical violence to come together and talk to others who have been through similar horrific experiences. It began with people sending direct messages to the account with their own stories of assault, but now people who are struggling in all types of ways – whether mentally, financially, or emotionally – use it to contact Kaur.
“A lot of people have not healed, a lot of people have not shared their trauma with their family, so here they have a safe platform to reach out to, where they’re supported, where they’re believed and they get to see all of these supportive comments under their posts,” Kaur said.
Kaur was the lone driving force in the movement during its initial days when she extended her support to those joining the page for similar assistance. The battle was later over the years joined by like-minded people and at present, the Instagram handle is followed by 1, 40,000 people and others through their website.
The community led to the securing of volunteers around the world who offer their time to help people who contact the page. The group consists of counselors, lawyers, social service workers, and more.
When Gurpreet started her movement, shortly after the horrors of the incident came to haunt her, what she has been through and what happened to her started being discussed widely, which disturbed her a lot.
She fled from Surrey to settle in Toronto only to heal the wounds that had not just devastated her but her conscience as well. At present ‘The Kaur Movement’ has gained widespread support from women, victims of sexual and domestic abuse, and people all around the globe.
The noble gesture of launching a platform for the cause has brought stability and peace into the lives of hundreds of women and is continuously working for the goodwill of many more.