I am scared of the dimply lit roads and strange faces

“Yes. I am scared. Very scared in deed.

When I have to step out of my house, when it is early morning, afternoon, evening or night, when I have to travel in crowded local trains and buses, when I have to wait in a station where there are barely any people, when I am turning down a proposal (even if in the most polite way possible), when it is a new work environment and when I am all by myself, sitting quietly in a lush green garden.”

To gentlemen, if it did not ring a bell… you must read ahead!

And ladies, did something just strike a chord? Did you just nod your head in agreement? Does it look like your thoughts have been penned down? Well, I too am one among you… and feel the same!

Something inside me constantly reminds that “this” place is not safe for you. Every time a stranger makes an eye contact, my heart skips a beat. All I do is quickly looking away and as fast as I can, walk away.

With rape, gang rapes and acid attacks being the most visible faces of crimes against women, what else do you expect a woman to feel like?

She lives under a constant fear of being harassed and molested in every possible form and in every possible place!!!

At home: Possibility of incest.

At work: Your boss and colleagues

Social life: Friends and enemies alike

When you marry: Your in-laws

When you fall in love: Society at large

When you turn down a proposal: The guy whose proposal you turned down!

And when you are walking on the street: Everyone.

Phew!!! Let me know if I missed any!   

So you see how adventurous a woman’s life is?

Although there are a slew of laws enacted to address violence against women such as domestic violence act, 2005, sexual harassment of women at workplace, 2013 etc etc etc… a lot of them are flawed and have enough loop holes that allow the perpetrator to go Scott free.

Thankfully the recent amendments to rape and sexual assault laws do advance women’s rights, but do you really think that creating numerous laws will counter the chauvinist society we live in???

When a rape victim is asked questions such as “aap ke saath exactly kya kya hua tha?” instead of being given comfort, the future is definitely bleek!

Moreover, the debate on woman’s security starts and ends with “depraved mindset”, “unemployed youth”, “badly lit roads” and “Poor Street policing”… when they should have actually talked about why some rapes matter more than others? Why the violence against Dalit women is not essential to discussion? And what is the root cause behind all this?

In spite of all the inequalities and crimes that are on a rise against women, like many other women, I too am convincing myself that everything will be OK. There will come a time when turning down a proposal will not convert into an acid attack, when in-laws will not torture the daughter-in-law for dowry and when simply walking down the street will not convert into a gang rape!

After all, feminism is all about hope. Don’t you agree?