Enough!

There’s a new show, Pratigya on Star Plus that my mom is watching every day at 10:30 pm. There are very few shows that can piss me off so much and this is one of them. It’s about this small town girl who is being harassed by some ‘dada’ of the colony. He keeps sending her flowers, presents, gives her blank calls and stalks her. The girl in return just whimpers and cowers away. Now, what makes my blood boil is that the show was supposed to be all about womens lib and how the protagonist, Pratigya is supposed to be one of those loud mouthed women who poke their nose in other peoples business and fight against injustice. But when it comes down to her own situation Pratigya just keeps crying and whining about why this is happening to her!

It’s very obvious where this show is going. She will eventually be forced to be with that gunda Krishna because of some lame and foreseeable circumstances and somewhere down the line fall in love with him because he ‘loves’ her so much! It’s upsetting that the concept of women harassment is being made a mockery of in such kind of shows!

I have yet to meet a girl who hasn’t been eve teased or letched at. But there are so many freaks nowadays it’s unbelievable the level the harassment has increased to! Yes, not everyone’s a Shahrukh Khan from Darr, but being someone who has undergone her fair share of harassment I can undoubtedly vouch for the kind of morons lurking around.

I admit in some cases the girl encourages the guy’s behavior intentionally and sometimes unintentionally. But what gives the guy a right to assume that the girl he lays eyes on is single and available? Or that she may reciprocate those feelings? Why does he feel these modes of pursuing her are ‘romantic?’ Why can’t a no just be a no instead of what Indian movies have imbibed in boys by saying dialogues like “if a girl says no then she really means a yes!”

In almost all movies we used to see and for that matter still see, guys emotionally blackmail girls to fall in love with them. True, guys undergo harassment as well but I’m focusing more on a woman’s point of view here. Women are stalked and humiliated even in public where the guys don’t shy away from creating a scene to profess their love in front of everyone.

I remember reading in a Dubai magazine that in most cases when the harassment levels have gone beyond control and the guy can’t take the rejection that’s when the girls get sexually assaulted, disfigured or even murdered. And the worst part is it’s mostly done by someone the girl knows! Maybe not at a personal level but she can identify and name her harasser.
As someone who has turned to the police for help I know the chances of something happening are very slim. I filed a complaint at my local police station for being harassed by some pervert who gets his kicks out of calling me at all hours of the day from different numbers wanting to talk to me. It’s become so that I don’t even answer calls from unknown numbers. The complaint was filed with the Police almost three months ago and still no action has been taken. Thankfully the horrible network I was using had helped in making me take the decision to change my number. But what angers me is the anonymous culprit who walks away without any action taken against him.

Women are being picked on at work, public places, amongst friends and sometimes even at homes. Where is a woman safe? If the laws were stricter then I’m sure such jerks wouldn’t feel confident in walking away after violating women. Frankly, I think Parents need to also try their best to teach their sons to respect women, do their best to ensure their kids don’t hang out with the wrong crowd. Women on the other hand need to start speaking out and be more persistent in trying to nab the accused. Public awareness and taking this issue serious is the need of the hour. It’s easier said that done. But that’s the price of freedom which we all have equal rights to.
I’ve learned my lesson. I used to think by ignoring such bastards they’ll eventually go away, but the truth is they don’t stop….and they won’t stop until something is done! I had a confrontation with someone who used to be a good friend of mine who was harassing me for almost two years. I tried everything from ignoring, to swearing, to having people talk to him on my behalf to almost having him beaten up but it was only after I left that environment and went underground that he lessened the psycho-ness.

After a lot of water under the bridge had passed I had told him in that confrontation that I’m not interested in him and never will be. It took almost three hours but I managed to get through to him and got rid off him. It’s been more than a year and I haven’t heard from him. I guess with some psycho’s talking works and with others you have to take more serious measures. Either ways, the answer is not to sit alone and cry or wait for prince charming to come and help you out. We as women need to show that we’re not the weaker sex and fight for our freedom or at the very least, stand up for ourselves...After all, if we don't then no one will!