After I saw the photos of Masoumeh Ataei as a model for the first time, I was shocked. “What happened to her?” I asked myself, staring at the burns and scars on her face, which contrasted with the bright colors of clothes she wore.
Masoumeh Ataei, a victim of an acid attack from her former father-in-law, sits at home in Parand, a suburb of Tehran, Iran. More photos of the week: https://t.co/875k67vYiC 📷 Majid Asgaripour/WANA pic.twitter.com/jxCgybtP7T
— Reuters Pictures (@reuterspictures) November 14, 2020
Her face did not have any of the common features everyone expects, but there was something inside her that made her stand out and forced you to look and read the story of pain and peace marked on her face. I wanted to hear that story from her, but I did not know how to ask my questions without bothering her. Questions that go back years and might raise bitter memories.
Finally, I called. She was calm and spoke firmly in a pleasant voice, ready to tell her story as much as possible. About how she is trying to regain her sight, being able to see her son’s face again after more than ten years, and her modeling job. We arranged the interview.
The last time Masoumeh saw her surroundings was on September 3, 2010. That day, she took Arian, her son, to see her ex-father-in-law, the child’s grandfather. Two years had passed since she had divorced, and during that period, her ex-husband’s family had asked her to return several times. But it was impossible for her to bear the past domestic violence. They were from two different worlds.
After Masoumeh had left her ex-husband, he started using drugs. For this reason, his father wanted to take revenge, blaming her. On the last day of the visit, he asked Masoumeh to give his gift to Arian and asked her to close her eyes for a surprise.
“The old man was always peaceful and had never been violent before. So I didn’t expect bad or wild behavior from him. Even when I had arguments or conflicts with my ex-husband before, we wanted him to intervene to guide us or make peace.”
Closing her eyes, she felt severe burning. She screamed and cried for help. Neighbors and her parents reached out to her. It was hot. No matter how much water they sprinkled on her face and body, it was useless. She wondered whether it was a ridiculous joke or if it would end in a second. They brought her to a hospital, where she learned that her ex-father-in-law’s gift was acid.
She lost her sight that day and has had about forty operations since then. “I went to the United States in 2012 and had three different surgeries at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. I was supposed to return after two years, but because of visa problems and expenses, I couldn’t. So I underwent other surgeries in Iran.”
During this time, she was not supported by any government institution or organization. Only once in 2011, after appearing on a television show, was she invited by Mr. Ahmadinejad to the presidency office and given about $1,500, which was a small figure compared to the exorbitant cost of operations. The bulk of the expenses of surgeries have been gathered with public help.
“Unfortunately, none of the insurance companies are willing to pay for surgeries or cover even part of the cost. Except for the basic services provided to the victim in the hospital emergency room, the rest of the surgeries aren’t under the coverage of the insurance. Insurance considers these operations to be cosmetic surgeries, while they are reconstructive ones.”
Although Masoumeh has got half of the needed money for her biggest surgery, she has made her own decision and wants to get the chance to see her son again. This is her only wish. “Dr. Christopher Liu, in England, can restore good vision to one of my eyes. The nerves of the left retina are in good condition, and by using a canine tooth, an artificial cornea will be implanted. There’s no change in the appearance of my eyes, but I’ll be able to see again. I feel hopeful.”
After what happened, her life entered a new phase. Everything changed in a few moments. Before losing her sight, she wanted to become a hairdresser and make-up artist, but could not continue. She got through the days when everything seemed impossible. At that time, her ex-husband’s family threatened her that if she kept charging their father, they would not give her custody of her son, or they would also attack him.
According to the laws of the Islamic Republic, after divorce, custody of children is with the mothers until they are seven, and then the children are handed over to the fathers. When Masoumeh divorced her husband, the court granted custody of their son until he was eight. “I couldn’t ignore those threats. I didn’t want my son to be taken from me. Otherwise, I wouldn’t’ve calmed down.”
So how could she forgive him? I reminded her that local news agencies had reported her forgiveness. “I cannot say I forgave him. I just reclaimed my rights to provide better conditions for myself and my son so that we can live in peace. I want to forget the past and everything.”
She did not want to stop. She worked as a potter for some time and participated in several theater performances, along with other victims and people who were blind. “Those who spray acid on your face want to isolate and depress you. I wanted to prove that a woman’s beauty is not just in her face. I have an active presence in society and on social media. I’m not ashamed of what happened to me. Whoever caused this disaster should be ashamed.”
While attending the Acid Victims Association, she met Ameneh Khademi, a costume designer and owner of the Mahura Gallery. Ameneh offered her work as a model, and Masoumeh got interested. “I heard a woman in Bangladesh, who was also the victim of an acid attack, was at a fashion show. I had no idea I could be a model in Iran.” Her presence was widely reported. Masoumeh believes that it was a kind of taboo-breaking, showing other aspects of the society.
This collaboration continued with other designers and brands. “I’ll soon participate in a big event with the support of Iranian singer Reza Sadeghi. I didn’t think I could continue modeling, but now it’s becoming more and more exciting.”
When we finished talking, her voice was still in my head for hours. I’m not ashamed. I want to work. I won’t give up. I’ll see my son again. There was nothing left to worry about.
Image credit: Harpreet Singh