Parvathy Thiruvothu launches Stand By Me, an initiative to support people who have experienced violence

Building a support network around people who have experienced violence changes the world, as does the difference between life and death, actor Parvathy Thiruvothu recalled when inaugurating Stand By Me on Saturday, November 23. The initiative, which aims to support survivors of gender-based violence, has been active for some time, not only providing emotional support but also focusing on financial stability. Thanks to Stand By Me, survivors were able to promote their handmade products – bags, clothes, curtains – paving the way to economic independence. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to survivors.

The initiative was formally launched on Saturday during an online event that began with a performance by American soul singer Ben E King of his song “Stand By Me” – When the night comes and the earth is dark and the moon is the only light we will see, no, I will not be afraid, oh, I will not be afraid, as long as you stand, stand for me.

Parvathy, one of the founders of Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), spoke about her experiences working with women who are trying to change the system. She said the first step is to tell a survivor you believe in them. “Personally, I’m more affected when a woman doesn’t believe me than when a man does. Somewhere in me I expect men won’t believe me. I know how to deal with it, I don’t depend on people believing me. Even if the legal system failed (some survived), it means a lot when there is a collective that says we believe what you say,” Parvathy said.

The second step, she said, is to pool resources to demand the justice survivors deserve. Before the collective was founded, women, she said, were like isolated islands, drifting away from each other. She emphasized that this is why a collective such as WCC or Stand By Me is so important. “It is not only a network showing compassion and empathy, but also an education that it is possible to demand space and livelihood. I want to emphasize that demanding a skills-based livelihood has nothing to do with fighting for justice when you are the one wronged.”