These are dark times..for females and the humankind at large..Narrow mindsets, patriarchal societal structure has become more evasive. Its scary to be out on your own. Every now and then you see sneering faces, stalkers, hormone filled predators lurking from the corners, taunting you with their wild smiles……We are talking about a safer Delhi, but the fact is that nowhere is safe enough….and that brings me to the question AM I SAFE???
Should I go out alone? It’s too late and its getting dark….maybe I should postpone my plan. I could call a friend to accompany me.Oh no I should call a dozen of my friends, Or maybe I should call for police protection. But what If…..?????
The news of what happened to a 23 year old in our Nation’s capital has been haunting us for weeks now. On one hand Civil societies, women’s groups have been protesting continuously for speedy justice. The case is to be fast tracked. While on the other hand we have a culprit who is pleading to be juvenile??? It is just outrageous, What part of his being juvenile justifies his crime?
This hideous crime has however made me highly insecure. My thoughts go haywire from time to time. Dark lanes, uncrowded roads scare me. I prefer traveling during day time… It is not the first time that such a news caught my eyes, but why has this particular incident rocked me to the core? Why have nightmares become common for most of us? The savageness, the brutality that killed a girl has affected us all in one way or the other. Parents have become even more protective, boyfriends and husbands more possessive, those of us who used to be scared once in a while now live in fear.
Who is to be blamed for what happened? The Girl? because she got on the wrong bus with only a guy as escort (maybe a girl should have at least two bouncers as escorts). The Guy? because he could not fight off six men (it looks like a piece of cake in Bollywood movies). The authorities? for giving permit to such a covered up school bus (with tinted windows??). The people? because they failed to notice the presence of a school bus at a particularly odd time roaming in their elite neighborhood. The Public servants? because the protectors of law who didn’t seem to have the possible insights and intuition. Or maybe the families? because the families of such sick perverts let them loose….The blame game will just go on, but will be quite inconclusive.
The question that haunts my mind is that what are we who were destined to be born with XX chromosome supposed to do? Are we supposed to stay hidden in our mother’s womb, or sheltered behind our fathers?
Stay home, wear burkha, wear unprovocative clothes? Or like some really wise old men said only go out with your husbands or relatives, or maybe when the shani, rahu and ketu glide away from over the heads of all the females, we might as well be free from the fear of some sick men lurking in the dark corners of our cities waiting for the right time to pounce upon their prey.
What is the solution? Pepper spray, knife, chilli powder, taekwondo lessons? Ideas might vary, but i think the solution begins in the families. Teach our brothers, sons, fathers, friends to respect women. The male dominance that has been passed over from generation to generation needs to end. Let us all be equal, Let us all be human….
It is a long journey between Human Being & Being Human….
Let’s travel at least a one step daily to cover the distance….
With this prayer this is Satrangee Parachute floating though the grey clouds……
…..”For each time a girl is wronged or hurt I am hurt.
I die a thousand deaths each day I live, Coz somewhere across the world I am being killed”
This Blog is dedicated to all the brave-hearts who suffered yet fought back for making the world safer for us.
Note:
These news articles point out that it hasn’t stopped even after such a mass outrage.
http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/i-never-had-thoughts-of-leaving-her-and-running-away-delhi-gang-rape-victims-friend_820801.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Girl-gang-raped-thrown-out-of-vehicle-in-Bengal/articleshow/18021836.cms
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-28/india/36035491_1_sajal-jain-bijal-joshi-gang-karan-jain
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/gujarat-exmlas-nephew-3-friends-allegedly-gangrape-girl-for-over-3-years/314933-3-238.html