Keralam Rape Survivor Nuns Launch Clothing Brand named Stand By Me

The sewing machine was once simply a means to learn a skill. Today, for three Catholic nuns living in a convent in Kuravilangadu in Keralam, it has become a tool of survival, independence and perhaps, most importantly, a way to reclaim their lives. 

Years after one of them accused former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal of rape and embarked on a legal battle that drew nationwide attention, she and two fellow nuns who stood by her were facing a different kind of challenge -- making a living on their own terms.

Their work has since grown beyond a few orders. They make nighties, churidar tops, co-ord sets, bags, table mats and runners, and have also employed two



workers. 

They also successfully conducted exhibition sales in Bengaluru and Thiruvananthapuram with the support of well-wishers. 

For the three nuns, 'Stand By Me' is more than a brand name. It is a reminder of the people who stayed beside them when the road was difficult, and of their own determination to stand on their feet.

In January this year, the Kerala government issued ration cards to them after coming to know about their plight. 

Mulakkal, who was acquitted by a local court in 2022 in the rape case, later resigned as Jalandhar Bishop. The nun later challenged the trial court verdict before the Kerala High Court.