It was a colourfully crowded evening at the Kolkata book fair in 1996. While moving from one bookstall to another, a poster drew my attention. It was a photograph of a girl with the poem "They sell me, my own blood for some gold and some silver, I rinse and rinse my mouth but the treachery remains." printed underneath. I went inside to know more about this girl and unconsciously embarked on a new journey.

In India 40% of the one million women who are in prostitution are below the age of 18. The social prejudice against girl children, deprived of their right to education, economic options, control of property and inheritance, ensures that girls can be forced into child marriage. Many are eventually left with no option other than prostitution when they have to earn their own living and support their children and family.

Children of prostitutes, even if they are lucky enough to find rehabilitation, find it extremely difficult to come to terms with their past. Victims of sexual abuse and violence are most guilty about their own bodies. This leads to a lack of self-confidence and inability to come to terms with their past, and many continue to live in denial even after traditional forms of rehabilitation.

The search for another world for these girls began 6 years ago. Armed with a master's degree in Sociology and training in both theatre and classical dance (Bharatnatyam and Navanritya), I started a dance movement programme with the children and women living in a home for victims of trafficking and sexual exploitation as well as children of women in prostitution (who are vulnerable to second generation prostitution).

I started my work as a volunteer just to give these rescued girls some experiences through dancing. But very soon I discovered that dance movement was therapeutic so I designed a program which included full participation of the girls. They talked about their own issues of suffering and pain, and to express these feelings they used dance.

As I continued working with these young women, I soon realized that my own position as a woman has a deep connection with them in context of the patriarchal society we all inhabit. As I become more involved I realized that my own liberation would be incomplete without them. I strongly feel that dance movement can free a person from various pressures imposed on an individual by society. While teaching dance I have realized that it can work almost like magic to bring out innate self-confidence and give vent to creativity, which in turn can empower them to act as an active creative agency.

"Sampurnata" (completeness) is a curriculum designed specially for children and youth, trafficked children and victims of sexual violence. This type of teaching ensures that the rights of the victims do not come to them as received learning only, but as a self-exploratory, democratic process.

Sampurnata:

• Empowers the victims themselves
• Provides an innovative approach to rehabilitation programmes used for the victims
• Provides a new option for their future

Search 1996-1997
In 1996 I started my volunteer work with SANLAAP as a dance trainer. At first I was very excited because I had read about the victims of violence in textbooks and newspapers, but now I was going to start working with them. During the first two weeks I struggled to communicate with them. I felt very depressed; I went to my teacher Manjusree Di for support and guidance. She told me to make the class as simple as possible.

I began my session with physical exercises and story-based movements. For example, each session was based on a simple theme (the movement of people walking on the street, the movement around a home, etc.) Through these sessions I started to teach about the body and different positions using various kinds of music, including Hindi film songs.

After 2 months they started to open up and communicate with me which encouraged me to spend more time with them. After dance class we would have fun through movement and some girls shared the stories of their life. Along with training the girls each day became a learning experience for me also. For me 1996 was the year of searching where everyday I explored and tried to discover the right approach.

Enlightenment 1997-1998
To help find the right way, I joined Sanlaap's research department as a paid staff member. I understood that if I wanted to do constructive work for the group I was working with, it was necessary for me to know the extent, magnitude, and depth of their problem.

I visited different red light areas of Kolkata accompanied by the field supervisor and also visited Mumbai's red light area Kamatipura. I conducted a study on "Societies Attitude Towards Prostitution" in association with Sanlaap Research Department. The insights gained from this exposure stirred up a desire to create performances about child rights, women rights gender and sexuality. This period was truly a time of enlightenment, new knowledge and new experiences leading to experimentation and innovation.

Experiment and Achievement 1998-2001
After engaging in fieldwork for a year and half, I applied to the Indian Government with the support of Sanlaap for a research project called "Rangeen Sapney" (Colourful Dreams) This project was undertaken emphasised 4 cultural activities (dance, drama, mime, music) engaging 120 children so they could gradually overcome their so-called mental blocks and take part in the day-to-day activities of the mainstream of society.

The research spanned from August 1999 to October 2000. This project revealed that trafficked children encounter sexual and physical violence. Consequently they suffer from mental trauma and develop a negative attitude towards their body. Overcoming this negativity aids in healing pain, trauma, guilt, sorrow and suffering. The deep dark patches in 80% of traumatised victims become lighter and are often erased by participation in cultural activities they immensely enjoy and cherish. Their involvement also increases awareness of their potential and cultivates their latent talents.

This project gave birth to the platform SANVED. During this period I met Tripura Kashyap (a pioneer of Indian dance movement therapy) in a workshop. After developing a professional relationship with her, she guided me through the intricacies of dance movement therapy.

From the year 2001 SANVED started to do awareness campaigning, advocacy and professional dance performances. The success of this venture led to defining a proper dance curriculum for this population. While collaborating with Tripura about dance movement therapy, I started to give comprehensive training on dance education to Sanved's members.

Result 2001 Onwards
In 2002 we professionally launched SANVED as a platform of cultural expression on 8th March at Madhusudan Mancha. With this new establishment I completed creating the dance curriculum Sampurnata. After assessing the successful results of Sampurnata, I would like to share my knowledge with other psychosocial rehabilitation programmes, NGOs and youth, so they too can gain the rewards. This new approach to the field presents various career options such as advocacy, campaign, performances and training.

1996-2002 has been an exiting journey and an exploration into the unknown-from Rangeen Sapney to Sanved. Looking back with a sense of fulfilment, I realise that what began as an exploration evolved into an accomplished psychosocial rehabilitation programme.

For me, it has been a learning process, and also an achievement, when I see that the girls, whom I have seen grow up from the time when they were shy, reticent, withdrawn and traumatised, turn into confident, bold and expressive artistes in their own right, for whom SANVED has become the platform for their expression.

SOHINI CHAKRABORTY

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