Neither an adult nor a kid, the age when you see the world as it is and not through those rose colored glasses.. the time when I spread out my wings and take off the cocoon my parents had lovingly created.. to leave the safe world was an adventure, a step into adulthood...It was exciting and scary!! And it was during these days I became a victim...
Counting down days, I waited for those long-awaited trips home.. study holidays, festivals and semester holidays.. each holiday I religiously traveled back home... these long trips involved train journeys and bus journeys... and then I realized how bad the world was....
Those gropings and touchings once the lights were off in trains and buses were indeed annoying and scary making night-time train travels a nuisance .... Men of all ages, irrespective of anything else, derived a pleasure in such activities... I was a victim....till I decided I was not going to sacrifice my sleep and peace to evade Mr.Gropy hands, I needed to do something ...
The next time, the groping hand came towards me, I was ready... the common safety pin holding my dupatta is place was ready to strike and the howl that followed was music to my ears...and I did have one of the well-rested train journeys that night...
The world outside is like the big, bad wolf.... it will huff and puff and try to blow you away... the secret of survival is just being strong...
Today am no longer a victim and am no Hero.... but I am a woman against sexual harassment...

Posted 22nd March 2007