witness

We Cannot Forget Ragini.

Prince Tewari, son of BJP leader, and panchayat chief, KripashankarTiwari, stalked, and murdered a 17 year old in Lucknow.

1) Why has only, The Telegraph covered this?
2) What is the role of the ' Anti Romeo Squad' , who knew of Prince Tewari stalking and had let him off earlier, with warnings?
3) Prince Tewari believe that he can force someone to marry by stalked and harassing her.
He murdered the person he was forcing, to marry. 
4) Prince Tewari and SonuTewari , hit Ragini, with their motor bike. Ragini was on a bicyle. Prince Tewari murdered her. Ragini's 13 year old sister Siya was with her.
5) There were 50 witnesses, who didn't help.

A witness is someone who has the power to change the story. Each of us, can be that Action Hero.


Pallavi , You and Me


Mumbai lawyer murdered for yelling at security guard

Pallavi wasn't murdered for yelling at  the security guard.



She was murdered because the man who murdered her believed he could. 
She was murdered because we live in a 'culture' that finds excuses for murder- nothing 'provoked' 
murder/ attack/ violence.  There is no such thing as 'honour killing' - it's murder. There is no such thing as 'asking for it'.
She was murdered because there are more than few men who have anger issues and have been allowed to have anger issues because they are 'men'.  Masculinities needs some serious urgent attention.  
She was murdered because her neighbours kept their doors shut tight.




A city isn't unsafe for woman- just by itself.  




You make it safe when you don't ignore, dismiss or trivialise violence.
You make it safe when you don't let fear overtake your spirit. Streets would always be safer if there were more of YOU / me outside. NO?
You make it safe when you let someone being assaulted know you are there for them. ( street violence / domestic violence/ all violence- Do send in strategies on how the 3rd person could intervene)
You make it safe when you report to the cop. ( yes we know the cops have a LOT of work to do on earning public trust BUT )  
You make it safe when you recognise there are fewer people who set out to harm, and more people living in fear of being harmed. You are part of the latter. Make that fear your strength.


RECALL :

Because the first experience of feeling discomfort and intimidated in public spaces comes with a sense of 'unpreparedness'. It could be something that you didn't identify then as street harassment but knew that 'something wasn't right'.  Because it is often left unarticulated.
Action Heroes / BN Guys
Recall and share your first memory of street harassment/ sexual violence
It could have been something you experienced/ witnessed or heard about for the first time and the impact it had on you.
Please submit the form below by May 2013
The responses will be shared on the Action Heroes  space on the weekend of June 2013
Recall 2012 here

PROBLEMATIC PROBLEM SOLVING ISSUES:




sent by Annie
Age: 22 : Andheri Station, Mumbai


Source: Indian Express

To keep eve-teasing at bay, four Kanpur girls degree colleges have banned students from wearing jeans, tight tops, sleeveless blouse, high heels, tight fitting clothes in the campus.


Source: TOI
If you are a girl in Kanpur, you can’t wear jeans to college. , Dayanand Girl’s College, affiliated to Kanpur University, began moral policing by restricting its students from wearing western outfits on the campus. A notice to this effect was issued before the start of the
academic year.


Source: One India
We can’t overlook the safety of students. A dress code would check eve-teasing to some extent and also ensure that girls don’t waste their time selecting what clothes to wear," Jamal said.

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1. it is not only the jeans wearing women who get violated and harassed on the street

2. women across age groups. body types. clothes, socio economic groups have been 'teased', attacked, assaulted, intimidated by random male strangers in their cities.

3. a garment may seem inappropriate to another stranger but no one 'asks for it' or deserves to be violated.

4. blaming survivors of harassment has been an age old way problematic solution. to counter that- we ask you to walk the streets of your cities without apology.


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We have had innumerable discussions on the Blank Noise blog about clothes. provocation. harassment. and 'asking for it'. Without further delay here's what we ask you to do:
SEND ONE GARMENT YOU WORE WHEN YOU WERE SEXUALLY HARASSED, OR 'EVE TEASED' ON THE STREET. YOUR GARMENT IS YOUR WITNESS. SAY OUT LOUD " I NEVER ASK FOR IT "


I Never Ask For it discussions can be found here:
(please send us links if you come across more of these)
http://www.savadati.com/?p=498
http://www.savadati.com/?p=71
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=b332809a-ea1b-4f08-84a8-bb1e55dd8584
http://www.bharatwaves.com/portal/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=9
http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit07172006/index.asp


Chennai contact - Katheeja
email: blanknoisechennai@gmail dot com

Bangalore Contact:

Delhi Contact:

Bombay Contact:

Calcutta contact:




Blank Noise on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=618467372#/group.php?gid=2703755288&ref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=618467372#/group.php?gid=142739725581&ref=ts

also at fox news

spectators:



you saw it happen
you walked away

you saw it happen
you intervened

you might have seen someone else experience
street sexual harassment/ violence/ or being 'eve teased'
did you support the survivor?
or did you walk away?
what made you react?
what made you indifferent?

PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE
OF BEING A SPECTATOR TO STREET
SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR 'EVE TEASING'
you might find this form of use- or you could simply email in the incident.
e: blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com

© 2003,Blank Noise * @2004, I Never Ask For It

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