October is observed as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a reminder of the silent battles survivors continue to fight worldwide. Actor-turned-activist Somy Ali, who runs the U.S.-based NGO No More Tears, believes that while awareness has grown, much more needs to be done, especially in India. “Fish rots from the head. This idiom pretty much covers the rule of law in every country worldwide,” she says. “Awareness has surged from hushed secrets to global outcries, fueled by #MeToo and survivor voices. In India, the PWDVA is progress, but Bollywood’s fixers still silence victims. Stigma lingers, and corruption in police and courts must end for India to rise as a superpower driven by truth, not cover-ups.”
Somy founded No More Tears in 2007, and since then the NGO has rescued more than 50,000 survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. The organization provides immediate support in the form of safe housing, medical care, legal assistance and therapy. Many of the cases it handles involve international domestic violence, often foreign brides trapped in abusive marriages abroad. The NGO’s Discovery+ series Fight or Flight highlighted these harsh realities and even led to direct interventions such as airport rescues of trafficked girls. Somy recalls stories that reaffirm her mission—a Punjabi man once facing beheading for being gay who now lives freely, a Jordanian survivor denied education by her abuser who went on to earn a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, and a 19-year-old girl from Delhi who was rescued from trafficking. The memory of her calling her mother and hearing her sob with relief, saying, “Meri bachi zinda hai,” remains etched in Somy’s heart.
No More Tears is registered in the U.S. national NGO registry for human trafficking and collaborates with the Miami Police Department, the FBI and NGOs in India to protect survivors and support them through legal processes. The NGO helps victims obtain restraining orders, file police reports and pursue justice. Airline partnerships, including with Air India, have been critical in ensuring the safe return of trafficked girls to their families. Somy is firm in her stand against what she calls “fixers” who shield abusers and prevent accountability, stressing that true justice requires systemic transparency. For Somy, hope lies in the resilience of survivors who rebuild their lives against all odds. She admits the work is emotionally draining but says her own scars of abuse fuel her determination. “Hope shines in survivors’ victories, like a trafficked girl now thriving independently. My motivation stems from my own abuse scars; silence equals complicity,” she says. Looking ahead, she is preparing to launch her talk show The Uncomfortable Conversation, aimed at addressing issues that society often ignores. “The Universe demands accountability through No More Tears. From my Lokhandwala roots to global advocacy, I’m fueling India’s corruption-free future,” she adds.
As the world observes Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Somy Ali’s words strike with urgency. For her, awareness is not enough—action, accountability and courage are what will truly change lives.
