Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal said she had been sexually assaulted by her father when she was a child. Her revelation came days after actor and National Commission for Women (NCW) member Khushbu Sundar made a similar disclosure.
"I was sexually assaulted by my father when I was a child. He used to beat me up, I used to hide under the bed to save myself," Maliwal said during the DCW International Women's Day Awards ceremony.
"While hiding under the bed, I used to think how I will teach a lesson to such men who abuse women and children, and how I can help women get their rights," she said.
Maliwal added that her father would grab her by her braid and slam her against the wall, leading to severe bleeding.
Talking about the viral video of a group of men allegedly harassing a Japanese women in Delhi during Holi celebrations, the DCW chief said the accused should be identified and convicted.
"A video went viral on the internet where some men were applying Holi colours to a Japanese woman, she was feeling harassed, molested and screaming for help. Those men did not stop. We are issuing a notice to Delhi Police. Those men should be identified and put behind jail," she said.
Earlier, Khushbu had alleged she said she was sexually abused by her father at the age of 8.
"The toughest thing which took me long, not to forget, not to forgive but put it behind me and move forward was the abuse I faced as a child by my father. When a child is abused it scars the child for life," the 52-year-old BJP leader had said.
"My mother's been through the most abusive marriage, a man who beat up his wife, his children, sexually abused his only daughter. He thought it was his birthright, being a man it was his right to do so. And when my abuse started I was just 8 years old and I had the courage to speak against him at the age of 15," she had added.
