Antaraa Anandan is a remarkable second-generation Indian high school student living in Illinois, USA. She feels she can no longer stand by and ignore gender-based violence and is encouraging others to do the same and demand change for women in India through her #lettersforher campaign.
Over two million crimes against women were reported in India in the past decade, that’s 26 crimes an hour, not counting the atrocities that go unreported. For many women, justice is never attained and for those that are able to prosecute and those who go on to gain recognition through the courts, they are often left to heal from emotional trauma alone. Sadly, without support and care victims of gender-based violence can attribute blame internally feeling further isolated with the notion they are somehow to blame for violence, rape and brutality. Rather than focusing on these atrocities or becoming consumed with hatred towards perpetrators of the violence, Antara is using #LETTERS as a show of solidarity for our female survivors.
Letters for HER is a global campaign and while donations enable us to keep the doors to vital services open, you can also transform their outlook by simply writing a letter. Show your love by putting pen to paper to produce an uplifting and encouraging message of empathy and goodwill. This can take any format and be as creative and decorative as you wish, the only request is they are handwritten.
Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
Three-Ten Reasons Why… Your Feelings Matter / You are Beautiful / I Care for You
Even though we have never met, I love/admire you because…
If I could protect and nurture you I would by...
You can also show your solidarity through a donation to our projects and by sharing the idea within your networks or post a picture of you holding your #lettersforher.
Please post all letters before 8 March 2017 to:
India
Letters for Her
Snehalaya
F Block, Survey No 239
MIDC, Ahmednagar
Maharashtra 414111, India
USA
Snehalaya
c/o Antaraa Anandan
4135 Callery Rd
Naperville, IL 60564, USA
UK
Snehalaya 14 Cotherstone Road,
London SW2 3NF, UK
If you wish you can say who you would like us give your letter eg age, experience, place in their journey etc, and we will try to match it accordingly.
We will be waiting by the mail box...