Dear Narendra Modi, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Anil Ambani,
I am writing to YOU specifically because you are the most powerful and influential MEN in our country.
I am writing to you as a woman who grew up in a middle class family in Mumbai.
I am writing to YOU for HELP!
My parents may not like me saying this. I apologize to them if they are reading but this is NOT MY SHAME. It's THIER SHAME.
My
first experience with the opposite sex, was when I was just 13 and
groped by a man (never saw his face but will never forget his hand)
while walking in the vegetable market with my mom. She had just given me
the worst haircut and as an angry teenager I was upset at her and was
lagging behind as she walked ahead. I still remember what I was wearing.
It was her dress, mustard with flowers and little bow in the front. How
I hate that dress! As if, it was the dress's fault.
I was shocked
at first. Speechless. He disappeared. I just stood there. Tears started
pouring out of my innocent eyes. I told my mom who went mad screaming
in the market but who knew where that man disappeared to. I still
remember the dirty feeling I had and the number of times I showered in
my grand-mom's bathroom after. That feeling never went away.
Since
then it was non-stop. I would try to articulate this to my parents and
while my mom understood, my dad and uncles told me I was imagining it.
Maybe they just couldn't deal with it. CAN YOU?
When I was 15, I
started going by train and bus to St. Xaviers' College. I was groped and
touched and from all angles and this was just how I grew up. Not Just
Me but MOST INDIAN WOMEN who don't have the luxury of cars and drivers.
As
a teenager I would dream of and still sometimes dream that I had a
machine gun and could kill all the men who tried to grope me. A very
disturbing dream for a kid, don't you think?
I got my first
assignment as a model in the FYJC and I had to go to screen-tests
straight from college. So I had to dress nice, didn't make it any
easier. I specifically remember the time I went for an audition in a red
body suit and a black long skirt with slits. It was HELL! I never wore
that again. As if it was the dress's fault.
I developed ways to
defend myself, I always carried a bag in front of me, my fist was always
clenched, I always turned around every 20 seconds to check who was
behind me and a few times I slapped men who touched me, I got slapped
back many times too. Sometimes saved by the public, MOST TIMES NOT.
My
mom begged me not to pick fights with men who touched me, she was
afraid of acid being thrown at me or that somebody someday would hurt me
badly. She is STILL AFRAID and today she told me not to take an UBER to
my meeting tomorrow. Hell ya. BAN UBER! Make everyone take
responsibility for this.
My sister got into Sophia's college, we
were all excited. She went by bus but the first day she came home, she
sobbed traumatized. A man had put his hand in her tee-shirt through her
sleeve, the entire bus ride. She just froze. She was a kid too and
wasn't equipped to even understand this. I was LIVID. I'm sorry sis for
telling the world this, please don't stop speaking to me. IT'S NOT Our
Shame. It's THEIRS!
One of my friends in college was RAPED on the
train on her way home in the ladies compartment. She was sick and was
going home in the 11:15 break. There was nobody in the first class
compartment going back to Bandra at that time, it was a superfast
meaning it didn't stop at most stations. He raped her and then jumped
off after using her scrunchy (hair tie) to wipe himself. She was the
only one on the train and had to limp her way back to her home in
Bandra, bleeding profusely. She was just 16. This she felt was her shame
so she did not say anything to anyone.
BUT IT ISN'T HER SHAME, it's THEIR SHAME.
My mom accompanied me to Hyderabad on a shoot once. In churi bazaar, a cyclist groped My MOM. My dear respected and lovely MOM.
Sorry Mom, IT'S NOT Our Shame, It's THEIR SHAME.
Why am I telling you my personal story?
Well first I want all women to Speak Up.
Let's make this our MOTTO-
It's not OUR SHAME, it's THEIR SHAME.
Who are "THEY"?
"THEY" ARE THE MEN IN OUR COUNTRY.
Not
just the rapists and the sexual offenders and gropers but also our
Fathers (sorry dad) and Uncles and Brothers and MOVIE STARS AND
CRICKETERS AND POLITICIANS for not SAVING US or PROTECTING US by
insisting and protesting for the LAWS TO CHANGE and Rapists and Gropers
to BE PUNISHED SEVERELY!
Why do we as women have to feel so
threatened? WHY has there been no severe action taken? This has gone on
for years now. Not just in Delhi but all over our country and yes even
in BOMBAY OR MUMBAI OR Whatever the hell you want to call it! It's NOT
SAFE. NO!
My biggest fear ever since I was kid and even today when
I walk back home at night from yoga or when I take a rickshaw from a
friend's home is being RAPED. I still feel that fear. I am still am on
guard. I still fantasize of having that MACHINE GUN.
In the past 4
years I have been living and working half in India and half in New York
and let me tell you I have walked the streets of Harlem, the Bronx and
Brooklyn (perceived as the most dangerous in NYC) at3am after parties in
short skirts and felt safer than I feel in Bandra at 10 pm on a quiet
road fully covered. WHY??
Let's talk about Delhi our Capital. I
was there 2 days ago and the day of the rape. I wanted to go out and
walk by India Gate and admire our great monuments but could I?! Why??
What
good are all your speeches in the US or Japan or AUSTRALIA- NAMO, if no
woman can walk freely in the streets even in broad daylight by herself
in the CAPITAL OF OUR COUNTRY. Isn't this a SHAME? SHAME ON YOU SIR.
This is our NO1 issue. FIX THIS before anything else.
This is a SHAME. And it's YOUR SHAME. You are now RESPONSIBLE FOR US.
I beg all of you fine gentlemen that I have addressed to help change the LAW.
You are powerful men. I say, SHAME and PUNISH THE Gropers and Sexual offenders severely. KILL THE RAPISTS.
I
won't ask for public castration which is what I want and all the women
want because I know this is unrealistic and things move SO DAMN SLOW in
our FINE NATION.
All I ask for is the -Death Penalty Please. NOW! QUICK!
If that's too hard or will take too long then at least LIFE IMPRISONMENT.
Put them away forever.
Why was this man who had raped twice before out on bail?
And then given a drivers license? YES, BAN UBER TOO. Make everyone responsible.
I'm
ready to do anything. I'm not a big enough celeb but you Sachin
Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Sharukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Anil
Ambani SIRS- need to speak up as MEN ( you are the men with the power)
SAVE US!
Please demand the Death Sentence for the Rapists.
NO BAIL. Just Death.
Superstars I beg you, please take a stand. Use your Superstardom and Power and MONEY and save the women of our country. SAVE US!
I
urge you to protest or go on a fast or do something DRASTIC so people
take notice, the government wakes up and CHANGES the LAW so these men
are terrified to touch us.
Death to rapists. No bail. Just death.
Imagine
Amitabh Bachchan Sir, Aamir Khan, Salmaan Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil
Ambani- if you went on a fast or walked to the Rashrtrapati In Delhi. If
you, took this stand and made this YOUR NO 1 issue, how much change
there would be?!
Why should we as women feel so unsafe in our motherland?!
Why should we as women be terrified and on guard all the time.
Why was this man out on bail after committed two rapes already ?
Make an Example Of Him.
Any man who even touches a woman should be imprisoned for life.
Be strict, make examples of these men, scare those who dare to touch us.
SCARE THEM BY MAKING AN EXAMPLE OUT OF THEM.
SAVE US, Save your mother, daughter, sister please!
This is NOT OUR SHAME.
THIS IS YOURS.
SHAME ON YOU.
Don't sleep till you- SAVE YOUR WOMEN!
With all respect,
Shenaz Treasury
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