A neighbour sent me a video, perhaps of his daughter (he did not say), saying things to camera denigrating the #MeToo movement. I wrote him back : 'Here are my observations on the video that you shared :
1. I happened to be reading about slavery in america. the southern US states who wanted to retain slavery as their constitutional right, were as passionate about defending slavery, as this girl is that Indian women should not be voicing complaints against sexual exploitation.
2. Perhaps this girl would do better to read more.. besides actresses, the accusers include large number of journalists complaining about the conduct of powerful editors. Recently former senior IAS officer Rupan Bajaj spoke up in support of the #MeToo movement. Rupan had similarly spoken about the chief of Punjab Police when the whole world like you, had problems with her speaking up. The court decided in her favour, but many years later, against many odds.
3. I find the juxtaposition of the 'most women airline pilots in the world' with allegations of sexual exploitation (implying because we have the former we should not speak about the latter), ridiculous frankly. Just because we have the third highest no. of billionaires in the world, we should sweep our vast number of children suffering from serious malnutrition under the carpet (India has the highest no. of those as well) ?
4. 'I dont know what is the truth' the lady says. Really ? has she grown up walking the streets of north india ? Has she heard and read the testimonies of these scores of women ? I am sure she is mature enough to know what her instincts are telling her.
5. The fears about people being unable to feed themselves if slavery ended were also voiced, aplenty, by those who wanted to keep slavery on the constitution. So what this girl, and by extension, you, are saying is, if women want jobs they had better keep quiet about the utterly rampant sexual exploitation !
6. Regarding misuse of protective laws by some women - all laws in our country are misused - some heavily so - including the criminal laws - by our own police forces. Should we stop filing cases of rape, dacoity and murders then ?
7. Jessica Lal's murderer was set free by the justice system as his family manipulated it. But most people could see where the truth lay and the media rightly followed it up to force a re-trial. But in the cases of sexual exploitation, you would prefer the media should look the other way ? Why ?
8. Again the girl should be reading more - an FIR was lodged by Tanushree and complaint made to the actor's association in 2008 immediately after the incident occurred. The politically connected accused made sure that her complaints were not followed up. Instead, Tanushree, her employees and her family were harrassed for an entire year. If the justice system delivered speedy justice ofcourse millions of cases would be filed by women as there are millions of sexual harrassment cases occuring.
9. I am sure the girl means well, and so do you. Please try to see things from the point of view of women who suffer DAILY sexual harrassment on their way to work, at places of work, from their neighbours and even some distant family members. Read the news.
1. I happened to be reading about slavery in america. the southern US states who wanted to retain slavery as their constitutional right, were as passionate about defending slavery, as this girl is that Indian women should not be voicing complaints against sexual exploitation.
2. Perhaps this girl would do better to read more.. besides actresses, the accusers include large number of journalists complaining about the conduct of powerful editors. Recently former senior IAS officer Rupan Bajaj spoke up in support of the #MeToo movement. Rupan had similarly spoken about the chief of Punjab Police when the whole world like you, had problems with her speaking up. The court decided in her favour, but many years later, against many odds.
3. I find the juxtaposition of the 'most women airline pilots in the world' with allegations of sexual exploitation (implying because we have the former we should not speak about the latter), ridiculous frankly. Just because we have the third highest no. of billionaires in the world, we should sweep our vast number of children suffering from serious malnutrition under the carpet (India has the highest no. of those as well) ?
4. 'I dont know what is the truth' the lady says. Really ? has she grown up walking the streets of north india ? Has she heard and read the testimonies of these scores of women ? I am sure she is mature enough to know what her instincts are telling her.
5. The fears about people being unable to feed themselves if slavery ended were also voiced, aplenty, by those who wanted to keep slavery on the constitution. So what this girl, and by extension, you, are saying is, if women want jobs they had better keep quiet about the utterly rampant sexual exploitation !
6. Regarding misuse of protective laws by some women - all laws in our country are misused - some heavily so - including the criminal laws - by our own police forces. Should we stop filing cases of rape, dacoity and murders then ?
7. Jessica Lal's murderer was set free by the justice system as his family manipulated it. But most people could see where the truth lay and the media rightly followed it up to force a re-trial. But in the cases of sexual exploitation, you would prefer the media should look the other way ? Why ?
8. Again the girl should be reading more - an FIR was lodged by Tanushree and complaint made to the actor's association in 2008 immediately after the incident occurred. The politically connected accused made sure that her complaints were not followed up. Instead, Tanushree, her employees and her family were harrassed for an entire year. If the justice system delivered speedy justice ofcourse millions of cases would be filed by women as there are millions of sexual harrassment cases occuring.
9. I am sure the girl means well, and so do you. Please try to see things from the point of view of women who suffer DAILY sexual harrassment on their way to work, at places of work, from their neighbours and even some distant family members. Read the news.
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