"I'm A Warrior" - Priya's Story - Chai With Sahelis: A Desi Dost Project

Priya is a fiercely independent software engineer who married a man her parents found for her. Her husband, an H1B worker in Silicon Valley’s tech sector, abused and abandoned his new bride in their first year of marriage. Priya lost everything - home, career, confidence, and her H4 visa status. In the struggle to reinvent her life, Priya discovered resilience and purpose. “Don’t give survivors advice they didn’t ask for,” she says. “We just need love and support.”

“I’m A Warrior” is about Priya’s drive and courage in fighting for her rights. 

Her story is nearly at a (happy) end.  It’s part of a unique storytelling project “Chai with Sahelis”, where survivors from the Indian American (desi) community share deeply personal stories about their experience living with and surviving domestic violence.

This three-part series for October’s Domestic Violence month, is supported by the USC Center for Health Journalism in partnership with Desi Collective, Narika and India Currents. To protect her privacy, we’re calling her Priya.

This content is intended only for mature audiences. Listener discretion advised.
CW/TW: domestic violence, language, mental health, mental illness, depression, su*c*de, violent imagery, body image, anger, anxiety, abandonment

This article was produced as a project for the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism’s 2021 Domestic Violence Impact Reporting Fund.

Artwork: Priya
Music: Happy India by Neil Cross on storyblocks.com

If you or anyone you know needs help, please contact:
Narika : 1-800-215-7308
Maitri : 1-888-8624874
Raksha : 1-866-56-ABUSE
Domestic Violence Hotline : 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)

#ChaiwithSahelis, #DesiDostProject, #IndiaCurrents, #Narika, #DesiCollective, #domesticviolence, #USCCenterforHealthJournalism, #USCDomesticViolenceImpactReportingFund