by Melissa Faithful
Unfortunately more than 1,000 acid attacks take place in India. One of the victims of such an attack, Laxmi, has managed to rise above this horrible experience and become an advocate for women affected by acid attacks. Laxmi was attacked by a scorned suitor when she was just 15. Almost 10 years later, at 26, Laxmi becomes the face of an Indian clothing label and their important campaign, Face of Courage.
As Laxmi told the BBC, she is very proud of herself and this campaign, and hopes to help women feel empowered, “This opportunity to represent an apparel brand was a platform for me to set an example for women like me to be confident and have courage despite their physical appearances. This was also a platform for me to send a clear message to criminals that women will not lose courage even after they are attacked with acid to destroy their physical beauty.”