In my City… Dreams Shattered,
Confidence Lost!
It was just
as if yesterday, I still remember clearly... covering Priyanka Chopra's single
launch... It was 12:30 in the night, I just missed the office drop... I thought
rather than waiting for an hour more for the next drop, why not use the train...
went to Dadar station all alone jumped onto the Thane train... ladies
compartment was not that empty but got almost empty in Vikhroli... I was
listening to music, lost in thoughts, it didn’t matter then but today I
understand... How lucky I was!!!
India has
developed at a rapid pace & this at times may lead to friction in man
between working soundly or giving in to stress. Although, there may be multiple
factors affect the mental stability, it usually is the women who suffer the
most. Frequent stories of hate crime,
assaults, rape have uncovered a disturbing trend in our country.
It did not
affect me much on what happened at Delhi, last December but now at Mumbai that
too with a journalist has sent chills down my spine. It is just not scary it is
devastating. I am angry, really angry! My city was considered to be a safe
haven for women, able to express one-self freely - like the New Yorkers, but
now - is it changing into a city that has a dark underbelly, something sinister
that is evil!
I have had enough
of panel discussions, political party accusations, news investigation teams,
candle marches n black ribbons, I will not ask or expect anything from our
judicial or security system, I will just ask a question to myself; am I alert?
What could
have been my reaction if the same thing would have happened to me?
Could I show
some presence of mind?
Am I trained
to defend myself should the need arise?
And answers
to all these questions is NO.
Am I
vulnerable? UNFORTUNATELY YES
Can I change
that? YES
Will I do
it? YES
Not only me,
but all you girls out there step up. Let’s create a self defense mechanism,
something that gives us a chance to react until help arrives.
There are ways, we can defend ourselves;
let’s explore some of them:
Mobile
Communications - applications are available in various forms on different OS.
Apps like Circle of 6, bSafe have functionalities that with the press of a
single button/ combination pre-entered numbers will be notified that the user
is in a situation, where she may require assistance. Some more advanced
applications also provide an option for your loved ones to track your
whereabouts in real time. But they have their limitations - typing a code,
mobile network (bad in Mumbai!) & pray they do not snatch your phone at the
first instant!
Pepper Spray
+ Hand Bag Combo - A small can worth 200/- can definitely stop others from
harming you. Our hand bag (well, just live with it, we all carry it - usually
laden with weight) - use it. A good swing on the molester’s face & he will
see stars in the day. This with pepper spray - people will run away.
Better
still, undergo basic training in martial arts, run to the nearest police
station or shout at the top of your voice. Regularly use ‘Whats App’, when in
darkened areas - people will think twice (human tendency)
If that is
expensive - make your boyfriend/ your husband a punching bag. They should not
mind when a loved one punches you, knowing that this training will help you be
safe in moments like this.
So bad boys
beware, boyfriends get punched & girls go ‘Hell Yeah’.
Let’s kick
up a storm & show those bastards that we will not take this lightly, we
will not sit back - we will be the difference!
-
An agitated Woman who still believe that the CHANGE will happen.
