harassment

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.


street tales of love lust and possible misinterpretations




“Neev ibbaru thumbaaa chennagiddira”( the both of you are veeery beautiful). It was perhaps the tone in which they stretched the ‘very’ that just made us girls turn and say “Thank you”! - Naksha Erappa+ Sheetal (friend)

Dear Blank Noise Action Heroes/ BN Guys.
Over the last couple of years we have been discussing issues related to street violence and its impact on us. While continuing to do so , we would also like to build testimonials of another kind...testimonials that address the nature of wanting to 'get to know' someone and therefore take the form of stalking, persistently approaching, not hearing no for no, eye games, mutual flirting, passing remarks in perhaps a way of assuming that one is 'giving compliments' but may or may not have been the same experience for you, as the recipient.

eg: http://actionheroes.blanknoise.org/2009/07/blank-noise-action-hero-shreyasi-kar.html


We want you to blog your street interactions. we will be cross linking your blog post here: http://actionheroes.blanknoise.org/
or at http://bnguy.blanknoise.org


If you don't have a blog, you could email us your story instead.

Yours affectionately
Blank Noise Team

one kind of street sexual harassment could be a series of very 'serious' misinterpretations of codes and boundaries









Being stalked is not fun. Even when you know that it is not dangerous , and harmless. Or maybe it seems like stalking only to me. For many others, including my “stalker”, its trying to woo or flirt. Maybe even being caring and protective. No wonder the whole school was surprised as to why I wasn’t madly in love with my stalker as yet. Action Hero Shreyasi

Do you have a story on how you have been approached? followed? stalked? hit on? 'desired' by a random stranger?

How did you say no. or maybe you said yes? ( in which case it could be street flirting; not necessarily harassment?) In retrospect do you feel that he was 'hitting on you' but it was harassment for you?

Do you (
as a male) have a story on how you have approached a female stranger? How did you go about it and what followed?
Tell us. blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com
subject titled: street sexual harassment could be a series of very 'serious' misinterpretations of codes and boundaries. Should you wish to be anonymous you could fill this form instead.

Spread the word:
Post the event on your blog/ on facebook/ twitter. We will link your confirmation towards participating. You could email us your story and or share it on your blog.

Deadline: August 15th.


past reference:
Street Tales of Love and Lust
. year 2008.
announcement
food items, songs , other names (bijli. chammak challo), statements


and some more past reference
refraction , jace,
anthonysmirror



Moments of a Long Pause






Moments of a Long Pause is a 2 channel video installation based on interviews with men and women on the streets of 5 cities in India (Delhi, Agra, Ludhiana, Amritsar, Calcutta) . The video brings men and women in a conversation. The conversation is built on the personal street experience of fear, sexual harassment, sexual violence, flirting, wooing, 'teasing'.

The 2 channel video attempts to understand how both men and women approach eve teasing and street sexual violence in their daily lives.

Moments of a Long Pause has been Comissioned by Bronx Museum of Arts ( Street Art, Street Life 2008)
also supported by: Akademie Schloss Solitude.

Moments of a Long Pause can be seen from today Sept 14 until Jan 25 (2008)at the Bronx Museum of Arts, Bronx. NY with the show Street Art, Street Life

confirm on facebook:
http://www.new.facebook.com/editevent.php?picture&eid=24312104661&new&m=1#/event.php?eid=24312104661

Thanking ALL members of the Blank Noise team, Action Heroes, bloggers, supporters who ever raised a question on this subject- each comment either in support or against has given us insight into the issue.

THANK
YOU!

We thank Dana Roy, Trippy Scarlet, Hemangini Gupta, Annie Zaidi, Smriti Chanchani, Saurabh, Ravindranath Gutta, Shabnam Virmani, Anjora Naronha, Umang Bhattacharya, Indri, Nita, Narinder, Rupam, Ivan Medenica, Papoo Singh, Chandan +Nupur Mathur( for shooting), Timo Boeker( edit assistance) + many many many Action Heroes

MOMENTS OF A LONG PAUSE has been screened / installed at the following places

Bronx Museum of Art - commissioned for the show Street Art Street Life. 2008
Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver (2010) installed until Jan 25. 2011
3331 Arts Chiyoda via Dislocate , Tokyo(2010)
GSU Atlanta (2010)
MGallery BMB, Mumbai (2010)
Transportraits- Delhi (2010)
Akademie Schloss Solitude (2008)

To buy a copy of the video for screening purposes only please email us at blurtblanknoise AT gmail.com
We will be announcing future screenings on this page.


STREET TALES OF HYPER WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGE GROUP OF 11-80 YEARS

Editing assistant- Jamie Finlay- Cornerhouse
Project assistant- Dale Copley

In conversation with women between the age group of 11-80 years, in Manchester, UK.
Groups spoken with include Chinese Women's Centre- Wai Yin Society, Bangladeshi Women's Centre- Ananna, Salford Women's Centre, staff of Cornerhouse and strangers!

Supported by Cornerhouse as a part of Asian Triennial '08, organized by Shisha.

http://ia360908.us.archive.org/3/items/StreetTalesOfHyperWomenBetweenTheAgeGroupOf11To80Years/hyperwomen_64kb.mp3





REACTIONS

How have you felt every time you ignored a stranger's eyes stripping you naked?

How often have you been a mute witness or spectator to street sexual violence?

How often have you whistled, passed remarks, leched, intimidated a female stranger, just for 'fun'?



By sharing testimonials of participating bloggers and members archived at the Blank Noise blog I am not speaking of poor 'victims' and outsiders as a minority. Every woman, girl, young or elderly, from any socio economic background, any skin colour, any body type, 'pretty', 'fair', 'fat', 'ugly', 'slutty', 'modest', 'bitchy', 'smart', 'over-smart', 'shy', 'scared', 'bold' has experienced it. She could be walking alone, in a group, with her parents. It could be 6 am, 7 am, 9 am, 12 noon, 4 pm, 8 pm, 10 pm, and it could happen in your neighbourhood, right outside your house, in the outskirts of town, in the heart of the city. She could be dressed in a salwar kameez, a school uniform, a sari, a pair of jeans and still experience it. Blank Noise clothes campaign " I did not ask for it" has been receiving clothes worn by women at the time of sexual violence. Each sender is taking a stand when she sends in the garment- she says, ' I did not 'ask for it'.

As much as incidents of sexual violence that shock and make news call for an alert alarm, one cannot deny the fact that sexual violation on the streets takes place ever single day by almost every woman in a variety of different forms. It is accepted and normalized because it is 'expected'.

How does the public react to reported incidents of streets sexual violence/ 'eve teasing?' Does this mean more rules for the average Indian male's wife? daughter? sister? Or does this information manifest itself in the financially secure/ independent women incubating themselves in private transport, paying an extra fee per month to block unwanted phone stalkers, carrying pepper spray in bags, mobile phones and being on hyper alert each time they leave home?

Is the public ready to see women as autonomous citizens that can access public space, unapologetically? While I understand and am framed in the cultural construct of being someone's daughter, sister etc I also choose to see myself as a citizen, as a member of public as a non 'victim'. Is society also reinforcing belief systems of men as beings to fear and women as victims that need to be protected?

Protected from whom? Who are the offenders? Violators? Criminals? Perpetrators?

By 2004, 6 months into starting Blank Noise I was able to lift my camera to the 'perpetrator's' face and photograph him. There was a range of encounters. Not only was the camera a defence mechanism/ tool but also the point of dialogue and engagement with the 'offender'.

Since then I have photographed men from different socio economic background for a wide spectrum of 'eve teasing/ molestation' incidents.

At a traffic signal around noon, I see a man making 'sexual gestures' with his tongue towards me from his car window. Shocked, a few seconds later I begin to photograph him. He continues to make gestures, this time suggesting that I am 'mad' and drives off.

While distributing pamphlets in Majestic bus depot one evening, a hand comes to grope. Am already in the 'Blank Noise mode' and the camera is out. I reach out for his collar, pull him, get pushed in return but manage to photograph him. He disappears like most others into the crowd.

Sipping coffee in a café, I can feel someone's eyes on me. I return the look with a glare and ask him if he has a problem. He smiles, nudges his friend and says ' nothing, nothing at all'. This continues for 15- 20 minutes, at the end of which I hand him a Blank Noise pamphlet and photograph him. I spend the rest of the day answering his phone calls. " Sorry. It was only a crush. I liked your eyes. I am not the 'sexual' type of man. It was only a crush." I have to admit, he was not sexually intimidating, he was annoying.

While addressing street sexual harassment it is important to understand the context and the nature of the offence. While interviewing men on the streets of Delhi I got familiar with one kind of 'eve teaser'. He was the hopeless/ helpless wooer. There were a range of responses to the question " how have you approached a woman you are attracted to on the street", many people had responses that would be categorized as ' stalking, and 'unsolicited conversation'. From their point of view they had not committed an offence. A shopkeeper at Sarojini market said I will keep following her and approaching her " kabhi na kabhi toh hasseena maan jayegi". Another young man said he walks upto women and introduces himself, for which he has been slapped on several occasions( his peers added). Likewise one is familiar with love revenge stories behind the acid attacks. Once I met a girl whose throat had been slit for saying NO to a man who desired her. What are the cultural wooing references? With the idea and image of masculinity evolving what are the kind of men and male behaviour our society is creating?

This post has been published at blogbharti for their spotlight series.


YOUR TURN NOW: THOSE RARELY ASKED BURNING QUESTIONS-
Mail any question for Blank Noise to blurtblanknoise@gmail.com or please leave it in the comments section at this post

Cars, number plates, harassers: UNWANTED


Weeks ago, I had written of a certain number plate and the man behind the wheel in that car. I posted the facts of the incident on my blog. In a few days, somebody had managed to trace the car registration number and location, and I wa given to understand that the police had paid the owner a friendly visit.

Today, I am doing so again.


Two men - probably in their twenties - in a car.
Number DL9 CP 1579.

On the night of January 9th, Wednesday, about 9.30 pm, this car slows down as these two men see a woman sitting in a blue cycle rickshaw. They follow, from Defence Colony market towards the Lajpat Nagar railway gate. They lean out of the window. The man driving asks the rickshaw-puller, 'Kyon, kya scene hai?' (So what's the scene?)

Awkward, the rickshaw-puller turns to look at his passenger. This is me, sitting stony-faced, and he guages the situation for what it is. He keeps pulling, casting sidelong, frightened glances at the car. I mull over the possibility of fighting back. There is plenty of traffic about and I am not alone. But this is a cycle-rickshaw and a car makes it vulnerable.

One man, middle-aged, in a car.
Number UP 16 Q 1298.

On the night of January 9th, Wednesday, about 9.30 pm, this car slows down a the man sees a woman sitting in a blue cycle rickhaw. He begins to follow, on the road leading to the Lajpat Nagar railway gate, and he peers out of his window, repeating 'come' and 'do you want to come?'

The rickshaw-puller kept turning to look at me. I sat, stony-faced, crossed every finger I had, and held my peace. Ordinarily, in this much traffic, when the going is slower than it would be if one walked, I would just get down and walk about hundred meters and would be home. This night, I didn't. Instead, I requested the rickshaw-puller to stay with me, stuck in this mini-jam for a good fifteen minutes. He agreed wordlessly, head bent, and dropped me to my very doorstep. Out of sheer gratitude and relief, I paid him twice the fare we'd decided on.

I had no camera or I'd have taken pictures and put them up in the 'UNWANTED' section. I did have a phone though, and eyes and a quick thumb. These are the car numbers. This is my personal FIR.

World, are you taking down my complaint?

[And since I am doing this now, here' another: Defence Colony again, near the market, another car had slowed down and followed, and despite my obvious disinterest and discomfort, had repeatedly asked me to get into his car. Number DL3C AP 4910. Date: November 15, 2007]


Blank Noise calls on all women who have been stalked in cars, harassed by drivers of cars (or bikes, or autos) to do the same. If you don't have a camera, use what you do have. Use your eyes, your memory, your phones, a pen and notebook. Put up the number plates here along with a brief description of what happened, where, what time and how you reacted. Treat this act as a personal First Information Report and share it with us so we can put it up in a new unwanted section.

How are you?


A mob of 70-80 men shamed India’s safest city groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day.

An identical incident had shamed India’s safest city exactly a year ago — a girl was molested by New Year’s eve revellers at the Gateway of India. That incident was captured on film by a popular Mumbai tabloid; Tuesday morning’s horror was shot by two Hindustan Times lensmen who happened to be on the spot.
The women — one in a black dress, the other in a jeans and top — emerged from the JW Marriott with two male friends around 1.45 am, and began walking towards Juhu beach close by.
A mob of about 40 got after them and began
teasing the women. One of the women swore loudly at the hooligans.

But the mob, now 70-80 strong, wouldn’t let go. They trapped the women near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A man in a white shirt tore off the black dress. Another, in a blue shirt, led the assault. As the women fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.

At which point, HT’s Satish Bate spotted a police van and shouted. Senior Inspector Amarjeet Singh rushed in swinging his cane and chased away the mob. He took the victims to the Juhu police station. However, no case was registered, Juhu police station in-charge Shivaji Tadlapurkar said.

A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu ...the mob, now 70-80 strong..trapped the near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A in a white shirt tore off the black dress. blue shirt, led the assault. As the fell on the ground, dozens of jumped on them.


A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu ...the mob, now 70-80 strong..trapped the near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A in a white shirt tore off the black dress. blue shirt, led the assault. As the women fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.

A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day.But the mob, now 70-80 strong, wouldn’t let go. They trapped the near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. ...white shirt tore off the black dress. blue shirt, led the assault. As the fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.shamed India’s safest city

A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district. shamed India’s safest city

A mob of 70-80 groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes go. They trapped the women near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. A man in a white shirt tore off the black dress.on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day.But the mob, now 70-80 strong, wouldn’t let Another, in a blue shirt, led the assault. As the women fell on the ground, dozens of men jumped on them.

A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day. 70-80 , wouldn’t let go.trapped the near a vehicle and a tree, and pounced on them. in a white shirt tore off the black dress, blue shirt, led the assault. As the fell on the ground, dozens of jumped on them.

A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day.

A mob of 70-80 men groped and molested two young women for some 15 minutes on a busy main street in Mumbai’s glamour district Juhu early on New Year’s Day. shamed India’s safest city








14 days later .... 'how are you?'
Are you shocked enough ? For how long? Have you already moved on? Does this mean more rules for new year's eve? What is a mob? Who is a mob? Are you stirred enough? Do you expect it? Was this 'bound to happen'? Are you angry? Are you scared? Are you more anxious? What would you like to do? What would you like all of us to do? Tell us. How are you?


Do share with us, your thoughts and reactions about the Mumbai molestation/ street sexual violation episode and we will add you in the list below.

Here's what they said:

Lakshmi

Sepia Mutiny

Annie Zaidi

Sakshi Juneja

Hemangini Gupta

Emily Hansen

Ruia

Strategy 3 - Formalise a complaint

Number-plated memory

Young man. Striped shirt. Big-ish car... cannot tell which make; never cared enough about models and names.

Young man leans out to ask for directions. The rest is a familiar, old story.

'Where is PVR Saket?'
'Do you live around here?'
'Would you like to come with me to PVR?'

And after I say 'No', he says, 'Fucking bitch'.

I stop, turn around, take a good, long look at him. No words. I glance down at his number plate, and walk on ahead.

He follows.

'Excuse me, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am.'

Whoever was driving HR29 Q 1782, on Monday evening, June 18th, 2007, is not a very nice young man. The apology was not accepted.

[Cross-posted on known turf]

UNWANTED. SECTION 354



because I hate to keep you in suspense I am writing about what happened a month after I put these photos up!

bus from kerala to karnataka. I need to get to my seat. The man standing in front of me wont move and let me get to my seat. I say" excuse me? "/ " solpa side please?!"/

He gives me the blank look after which I direct my hands in a manner that indicates he must move a little away from me so that I can reach my seat. After all, the last thing I need to do is get my body brushed against a stranger's- especially when there is no dirth of space.

He succumbs but hisses a " zzzxsssk!" staring my anatomy into little pieces.

In less than 3 minutes I realize that he has the seat in front of me. The seats recline, the hands recline even further.

All between him and me is the needle.

Unwanted. Section 354. IPC





The photograph has been readjusted to make the 'perpetrators' unrecognizable.
Blank Noise seeks to build dialogue about street sexual harassment and is not attempting isolate any one person or incident.
date (2009)



Section 354, IPC
- Assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty - whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or both.

We handed him the pamphlet
10 phone calls and twenty apologies.


"But it was only a crush."

The fact remains that for some it is the only way of wooing.
Wooing/ teasing and 'patana'/ 'ladki pat gayi'/ (I've got the girl now).


Unwanted. Section 354 IPC

Section 354, IPC - Assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty - whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or both.
Posted by Picasa

UNWANTED. SECTION 354 IPC


The photograph has been readjusted to make the 'perpetrators' unrecognizable.Blank Noise seeks to build dialogue about street sexual harassment and is not attempting isolate any one person or incident.(year 2009)




Section 354, IPC - Assault or criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty - whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine or both. Section 509, IPC - Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman - whoever intending to insult the modesty of any woman utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or both. (Cognisable and bailable offense)
Posted by Picasa

UNWANTED .SECTION 354 IPC


The photograph has been readjusted to make the 'perpetrators' unrecognizable. Blank Noise seeks to build dialogue about street sexual harassment and is not attempting isolate any one person or incident.
(year 2009)



He placed his hand on my breast and stood still. I didn�t even realize it until I looked down and saw his hand there.

�Excuse me! What are you doing!?�

Silence. He looks the other way.

�Hello! Mister?! Answer me!�

�It was an accident. The bus is crowded.�

The bus is not crowded. This is not an accident.

I start shooting him down.

Your name?
Rajesh Channaith

What do you do?
I manufacture mementos and trophies.

He answers the questions with ease. I am alarmed at his not feeling threatened. I call a male friend who is standing in the other end of the bus

My friend gets into a conversation before which he asks me if I was sure if this guy �really did it�.

My friend and he talk in the local language. Next thing I know is that the guy has his hand towards in close proximity with me, once again violating my space and asking me to forgive him.

He continues to explain the situation to my friend, saying that the bus was �crowded� and that this was an accident. I continue to shoot him down.

We get off the bus. He gets off the bus.

� I have a family. I have two children. Please don�t do this!�

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UNWANTED. SECTION 354 IPC

The photograph has been readjusted to make the 'perpetrators' unrecognizable. Blank Noise seeks to build dialogue about street sexual harassment and is not attempting isolate any one person or incident. (2009)



stalker no. 1: " Excuse me, have we met before?" machlee: no Stalker no. 1: Yes we have! On commercial street! I work in a call centre. I am a science graduate." machlee: why are you telling me all this? stalker no. 1: can I have coffee with you? machlee: can i photograph you? stalker no. 1: yes! sure you can! stalker no.1: blah blah blahPosted by Hello