First Step

Came across this interesting
blog post today via India Uncut which lead to this huge discussion at work, regarding harassment of women in this country and the lack of rules thereof. It was heartening to hear that there is an act in the Indian constitution (passed 1998) which can go a long way in helping women seeking justice against daily dose of eve teasing many women go through in this part of the world.

Unfortunately, this country hasn’t taken that first step yet.

Excerpt from the post here… I took the night train to Chennai Saturday night for a friend's wedding. I was travelling alone, and happy to have the Upper Berth of the three tier compartment. My mum came to see me off and worried, as she usually does, about the occupants: "That guy looks shady", she said, pointing to the occupant of the other Upper Berth but I brushed it aside as paranoia, reminded her I'd been travelling alone on three tier since college and then, once the train left, went up and straight to sleep.

It was hard to sleep, despite the sheet covering me. I was restless and tossing from side to side. The guy in the Upper Berth next to me appeared to be jerking off, but I ignored him. Finally I drifted into a light sleep till about one a.m. when I felt something brush my foot. I moved my foot well under my sheet, thinking 'Funny, I didn't think I was tall enough to be extending out of my berth'…


Update: 7th July’05
I managed to get parking off Zabunisa street. Elated, I eased my car into the parking lane some how managing well in my parallel parking attempt. I got out of the car and started walking towards the rug shop, thinking meanwhile what can be the best possible color combination for a Kilm rug and then it happened.
This seemingly innocent looking kid, barely in his teens coming from the opposite direction touched my butt. For a second, I didn’t realize what had happened and then the irony of it struck me. The overwhelming urge to hit him welled up inside me. I didn’t think twice and I just ran towards him and smashed him hard with my bag. Anger and helplessness took over me. Perhaps, not the best way to deal with a situation like that, but it was a response more out of impuissance than anything else.