by Rebekah Mays
On
Friday I clicked a link on International Justice Mission’s website: “IJMKolkata: Landmark Convictions Against Five Notorious Traffickers.”
It took a moment for me to realize what I was reading, but there it was in
print—Nakul Bera, one of the most violent criminals IJM has ever encountered, was
tried and found guilty.
For
those who don’t know what IJM is, it’s an international human rights organization that brings rescue to victims of violent
oppression. They are a group of human rights
workers, cooperating with local law enforcement
in several countries to bring aid to the abused and put criminals behind bars. I
was an IJM communications intern in 2011, and we talked about the Nakul Bera
case quite a bit.
He
was a brothel owner in Kolkata whose cruelty was beyond what even the most experienced
field staffers had witnessed. He raped girls himself by way of initiating them
to their new home, and if they refused to see a client, he beat and tortured
them. One victim told IJM she had to see twenty-five customers a day. I
remember being assigned to read up on this and other cases—I had to do the
research slowly because it was so psychologically disturbing.
While
I was relieved to see that IJM had at last secured convictions for this sick man
and for four other criminals, my heart was heavy. I was happy for the IJM
staffers whose years of prayer and grueling legal work finally paid off. I was
thrilled for the little girls, who no longer have to walk in fear of their
abuser.
But
I was grieved at my own hardness of heart that let me forget about the victims,
and about this man who had destroyed so many lives. I spent my summer with IJM feeling
inspired, like I was making a difference, but over time I let that energy and
anger over the injustices I’d seen fizzle out. If IJM had given up as easily as
I did, Nakul Bera would still be doing unspeakable acts to the innocent.
Why
is it so easy to go through our day-to-day lives half-heartedly, to turn a
blind eye to the hurting and the abused? Why is it so easy to read such stories
or come across injustice and have no reaction, simply moving on to the next
distraction? It’s not a mystery: We like things neat and streamlined. We don’t
like to be inconvenienced or unsettled. We don’t like our boats rocked. Comfort
is key.
 |
| Nakul Bera's brothel |
You
may have heard the famous Edmund Burke quote, “All that is necessary for the
triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.” We hear these sayings all the
time, in sermons, in inspirational speeches, and in the books and articles we
read. But I’m trying to think of something I’ve done for others recently,
something that has contributed to the kingdom vision to “vindicate the orphan
and the oppressed.” I’ve posted a couple of social justice-related links on my
Facebook profile lately. I’ve donated money to good causes. But when I think
about something beyond that which has required real action, I’m drawing a blank.
The
good news is that when we do take a step, our efforts to pursue justice aren’t
pointless. Just look at what IJM has accomplished through God’s favor, and at the
impact the organization has had on so many lives. It takes perseverance, and as
I know too well, it’s tempting to quit before our work is done. Determination,
however, is rewarded.
Rebekah Mays is a Barnard College graduate originally from Austin, Texas. She currently works and writes in New York City. You can find more of her writing on her blog Iced Spiced Chai or follow her on Twitter @smallbeks.
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