Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Slap The Man Who Gropes!

I promulgate safety and precautions during personal revelry. I advocate sanity over recklessness.

That is not to say I do not care about women!

My blood boils then when I see and hear about groping and grabbing and pinching of girls. Not only strangers but even familiar folks do it.

The advice I have given to girls who have been my students (I am a teacher from last two decades) is...

*Do not shrivel in the corner, trembling!

*Do not sigh while cluck clucking over the molestation.

*Do not be all teary eyed at the doom and gloom "Abla naari syndrome"!

Then you shall ask "What shall we do? It is the upbringing to blame of our boys."

Society failed!

Indeed...

Think for a moment about Savitri Bai Phule's plight who was openly condemned, criticised and abused back in the 1800s! She was fighting for a noble cause. Did she have a screeching media at her disposal screaming "Hail women!"

Was Society any better, then?

They did not even consider women humans back then! Did Savitribai even expect anyone to change overnight?

Here is what she did.

She carried right through with what she thought was right!

We are today's women, then.. Lot more supported, educated and equipped!

Let us look into the eye of the perpetrator and holler "No" with all our mights!

Let us teach our girls to be not shrinking violets.

Let us teach them to give right back.

Let us Be the change.

Why be quiet the first time?

Even if a pinch or grab comes in, use your sandals, bags, umbrella or whatever you have and hammer!

Others will join the party!

Ask "What?" instead of retreating into a corner!

Return that stare for a stare instead of "Jaane do?

Let us begin #SlapTheManWhoGropes-  wherever, whenever...Get the Girl power out on the front. Now is the time.

Get up and give back!

Enough you waited for Mindsets to change!

Enough you waited for some system to protect!

Enough you found upbringings at fault!

SLAP THE MAN WHO SO MUCH AS LOOKS WITH LECHEROUS INTENTS.

Let's make it a norm, not an exception.

Use the voice, the weaponry in your arsenal.. More so, throw away the endurance and tolerance.

Why wait?

Start this moment while you stand at the bus stop, railway station, office, park or street while walking home.

Courage is what you draw out and molestation what you annihilate!

Will you?

                                   -Sonnal Pardiwala.

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