Raima had turned 24 yesterday, and she had had the biggest party ever. She had called all her friends from college and all the families who lived nearby.
The food was smashing and the music ethereal.
The guests she was sure would have been stumped and stunned (had they turned up)
Rukku was all dressed up in this amazing long red flowing gown. Her hair was perfectly set as straight waterfall like shiney and smooth black depths. Her lips were a ruby red.
The ocean beyond beckoned but she looked onto the stars – as if tempting them to come to her.
“Rukku – where are you?” , came a loving male voice (almost like a caress)
Rukku in Red (this is a free image used from the internet)
I had the most awful moment of awkward silence a few months back, a woman whom I had been speaking to and counselling about her career and job – just blurted – “I was raped…”
This is a 23 year old woman who has been struggling to hold down 1 job and juggle a possible degree! She has always had this haunted and almost vacant look about her – which I could never explain!
The discussion that day was me scolding her for not taking her life seriously – and I was actually reprimanding her – when she had been bunking her evening classes….
And she said the “R” word – and that lead me to the discovery that I lacked the vocabulary to speak to her!
So WHAT should you say/not say or do/not do when someone close to you or someone comes up and says “I was raped….”
Men and Women BOTH always question if a woman ACTUALLY being SexuallyHarassed , or did she misunderstand? Or it wasn’t meant to be? Or she was over-reacting?
Then the uglier spectrum of – oh she was just “asking for it”, – look at the way she dresses, look at the way she drinks at office parties, look at the way she stays back late to work, look at the way she always works in men only teams…
Woman at WORK!
So De-Coding ACTUAL Sexual Harassment in 10 quick steps:
Lets ALL ensure that YOU do not have to ever say “Bura Na Maano Holi Hai….” – this at MOST times simply translates to “Don’t get offended for me BAD/lecherous behavior – after all its Holi”
And ALL you have to do is watch out for the signs of NO – Consent…. and NOT do those actions….
Child Trafficking is an evil reality which the States of Jharkhand, Assam, West Bengal, Chattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha are grappling with. Lets try to do a quick review of the WHYS of this menace…
There shall be a Series 2 – for the HOWs of child trafficking…coming up!
On the eve of Women’s Day – lets change the way our Public Figures speak out against women and their right to live!
How you ask? After all the constitution gives women equal rights – and the IPC protects women – well lets just start with random comments made from large public platforms like “boys will be boys” and “women are like sugar who shall attract ants”….
Do we smell Misogyny anyone?
10 quick WHAT NOT to do for our Public Figures….
Why cant our Public Figures stop misogynistic speeches?
Misogyny is the dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. But seeing through the misogynistic glass: discussions online and offline with many women and some men leads me to some rather startling facts:
Misogyny is “dislike of, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women” as per the dictionary.
And YES misogyny is practiced by women too!
Why do women hate women?
Understanding misogyny when followed by women (and hating it):
Sharing a conversation with 2 women misogynists whom I had the complete displeasure and misfortune of meeting.
