Trigger warning: Even with some of the more graphic details removed, Tara’s story, which involves rape and the exploitation of her disabilities, may be particularly difficult for readers who have survived rape or sexual assault. Please read with discretion.

Tara can finally smile again.

And stand. And speak. In fact, when border agents first saw Tara, they weren’t sure she’d even survive. But now, the brave girl is free.

Life was never easy for her. She was one of five children in an impoverished Nepali farming family. Her situation was complicated by the fact that Tara lives with intellectual disabilities. When she started falling too far behind other children in elementary school, her parents decided to pull her out of school to start helping on the farm.

Tara did her best to contribute, but the family lived in constant scarcity, barely making enough to support all seven members. But things started looking up when Tara met Anwir.

A local friend introduced Tara—then just 17—to the 40-year-old man. 

Upon meeting, Anwir promptly began preying upon Tara’s vulnerabilities. He lauded her beauty and value, proclaiming that he loved her and wished to marry her. He promised that if she bore him a son, he’d make her life comfortable for the rest of her days.

Tara was flattered and hopeful, innocent of the predator’s manipulations. Excited to start a new life and relieve some of her family’s burden, she accepted his offer. Anwir took her home that day.

Where she met his wife.

Humanity lost

Everything Anwir had told her was a lie. In reality, he was married with two children and had no intention of marrying Tara. She was simply an easy target to him, someone he could control and use as he saw fit. 

For the next 20 days, Anwir got drunk and raped Tara again and again, all while his wife, indulgent in her husband’s twisted appetites, allowed the abuse to continue unchecked.

After nearly three weeks of suffering, Tara managed to escape and found her way back home. 

But Anwir quickly found her and, to Tara’s horror, convinced her family to give Tara back to him as his “wife.” From what our caseworkers could gather, the strained parents had no interest in resuming their responsibilities to their daughter.

The child had no options—no way out. Everyone who was supposed to be in her corner had abandoned her. 

The home that should have been her refuge wasn’t safe at all. Anwir took her back to his house yet again.

As soon as they returned, the abuse resumed. Her existence became unbearable. Anwir brutally raped the child day after day, thoughtless of her feelings. Tara was treated as little more than an object for Anwir to use; when she wasn’t being abused, she was neglected to the point of malnourishment. 

Found

Eventually, the inhumane treatment took its toll. 

Tara became severely weak and ill. Her health deteriorated to the point that Anwir and his wife finally decided they needed to take her to a neighbouring country for medical care.

When the group got to the border, our border agents were immediately suspicious. Tara’s health was obviously in critical condition, and Anwir’s attitude toward the child was unusual, especially for someone who claimed to be her uncle.

When agents were finally able to converse with Tara alone, she could barely speak. She didn’t know Anwir’s full name or even her family’s home phone number, but Tara did know one thing: she did not want to stay with Anwir for one more minute. 

The agents immediately began investigating Anwir to check his version of the story. 

What they found was shocking. Not only was Anwir not Tara’s uncle, but he had actually married an underage Nepali girl in the past. That child managed to escape after a few months, but Anwir’s actions went unpunished. 

Righting wrongs

Our team took custody of Tara before handing Anwir and his wife over to the police. After she had some time to recover, two staff members accompanied Tara to a police station to help her file an official case against Anwir. At the time of writing, the case is ongoing.

Meanwhile, Tara has improved drastically. Free from the constant abuse, she spent months recovering under the tender care of our caseworkers. During her time with us, our agents doted over the child like a team of kind mothers, and Tara benefitted from counselling sessions to help her overcome all she endured. For the first time in what must have seemed like forever, Tara experienced real, genuine love. Her case manager said that “staying here (brought) her great happiness.” 

Our team was excited to find an aunt and uncle to take Tara in and will continue to check up on her to ensure she is happy and healthy in her new environment. Tara’s journey ahead will be difficult, but she’s strong. Finally, the adults around her are helping her surmount her struggles instead of preying on them. 

If our brave border agents hadn’t been there, Tara’s future, if she had one at all, would look much different. When they saw her dire need, they didn’t stand by and do nothing. Their actions made all the difference to Tara. Will you take action for suffering children? Fill out the form below to rescue a child today.