Lifestyle /
Indian Women Speak Up Against Harassment
The heinous Delhi gang rape of 2012 brought into sharp focus the deplorable status of women in India and the almost frightening dominance of patriarchy in the country.
Despite new laws and changes in legislation since then, little has changed in terms of mindset or the regularity of these incidents. Subsequent cases of assault and harassment continue to make the news almost daily.
What does seem to have changed is the frequency of reporting such crimes. While the country's law enforcement is notorious for turning a blind eye toward crimes against women, many victims remain undeterred. Bolstered by the support of social media, women are increasingly speaking out against their aggressors.
A case in point is Delhi woman Jasleen Kaur’s Facebook post that went viral last week. Allegedly harassed by a motorcyclist at a traffic intersection, she took a photo of him and posted it on her page. It was shared over 36,000 times and the accused was arrested soon after. While it’s important to note that he hasn’t been convicted, the incident is a significant example of Indian women refusing to simply suffer in silence.
Also last week, a Lucknow woman tracked down and publicly humiliated her alleged harasser before handing him over to police. In a video posted on YouTube, she is seen berating and beating the man as he begs for forgiveness. While assaulting the man might not be the ideal course of action we might condone, her point is certainly made!
And, earlier this year, a Mumbai woman made the news for confronting another common criminal — the “railway rowdy.” Twenty-year-old Pradnya Mandhare was allegedly molested on a railway platform while waiting for her train. With no one seemingly willing to help, she took matters into her own hands, quite literally, and dragged the accused by the hair to the authorities.
The fear of humiliation and further embarrassment keeps many Indian women from reporting cases of assault. A pervasive and practically institutionalized ideology of victim-blaming doesn’t help either. But these recent incidents tend to suggest that the tide is finally turning, albeit very slowly. Whether this change is due to increased scrutiny of rape culture, social media providing a platform or women simply being fed up with daily harassment, Indian women are no longer just being seen (or ogled). They’re making sure they’re heard, loud and clear!
Dilshad Burman
Author
Dilshad Burman is an award winning TV host and Canadian media personality. Born in Mumbai, India, she was surrounded by its creative energy and grew up with a passion for music, film and television. While completing her Bachelor of Arts in English literature from The University of Mumbai, she i...
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