I feel lucky for having grown up in Bombay. Of course I've had the comments and unzipped pants and groping hands in crowded places ... and I've often felt embarrassed .. but I haven't feared them. I learnt early, that the best way to deal with is make a loud noise ... and for a period of time, I thought that one of the most effective ways to make the perpetrator uncomfortable was to open your eyes really wide, make a point that others can see you and stare him straight in his pants .. it worked (don't try it when not in a crowd though)! Once, I even turned around and slapped the guy who's creepy hands were trying to curl around my breasts in a crowded bus ... he got off at the next stop. And its funny, the passengers in the crowded bus turned around to me and said you SHOULD do this ... that enraged me more ... what on earth were they doing, sitting by passively as they see one young girl after another being put through this? This is one of the points I hope this Blog-a-thon achieves ... lets be aware its happening, lets acknowledge it ... let us get involved - male and female - to stop it.
Posted 21st March 2007 by J
