So I have been living in this place for more than 8 years now and have been boarding my company bus in same bus stop for the past 6 years or so. In all these years my journey was fruitful and smooth except one day which made me think how strong I am.
I usually walk from my home to bus stop as it will take only maximum of 20 minutes. It will also be crowded as it is a busy junction.
Some time back, on a bright sunny day, as usual I started from my home to boarding point. I came across familiar people whom I used to see almost regularly.
When I was near my boarding point, suddenly a guy I assume age as 50 wearing dhoti, walking in the opposite side of me, came dangerously close to me and touched my lower part of body inappropriately. I became speechless and by the time I regained my sense and planned to start yelling at him, he has walked past me.
When I turned to look at him again, he too turned and gave me a (sarcastic) smile which made me felt defeated and disgusted. I went back to my stop and boarded company bus with thousands of thoughts running in mind. That smile haunted me for days and it was like he has won a prey which is very sickening.
Needless to say, that day in my office was very very pathetic. It took me nearly a week for me to accept and move on and also made me think on my ability to with stand all these things.
However instead of retuning back to my bus stop, if it all I would have walked back and slapped this guy, I might not have not felt defeated. Nevertheless, it happened and I could not do anything about it except writing it here.
And also I am kind of a girl who always use to tell my friends that we should always fight no matter what the harassment we face either physical or mental. As I said earlier, this incident made me think how courageous I am?
What I faced is one kind of harassment, there are many things which women face like, staring her breast, touching her in crowded bus in appropriately, staring at her and stalking. All these should be fought back. So I ask all you people out there, no matter what your harassment is you always fight back. I agree it is not easy to fight back in that instant, but you can at any time.
I sincerely hope that this man who harassed me gets his lesson, if at all he does this again.(which I hope he doesn't)
Great leader mahatma once told that The day a woman can walk freely on the roads at night, that day we can say that India has achieved independence. But here we are still struggling to walk without any fear in broad daylight. Hope we get that kind of day soon.
And I have named this article as a drop in the ocean, because all these harassments which are drops will lead to major assault like ocean. So we should stop all these drops before it turns out to be a mighty ocean which is very very dangerous.
You always can and you should fight back. And also No one has the rights to touch you (even your better half) without your consent. If he does that it is an offence and you have the rights to fight back and stop it. I sincerely hope that in place where women are portrayed like goddess, will at least deserve to be treated like a fellow human being with dignity and self respect
Remember, You have the courage because we are the one who have mental and physical strength to such an extent that we are able to bear a life for 10 months and deliver it to the world. So each and every one of us are precious, strong and fighter.
About Author / Additional Info:
