Can you tell me why in a state like Kerala, where women outnumber men and the literacy rate is 100%, women are treated as second-grade citizens? Why street harassment is the usual thing? I'm guessing, but I don't doubt it's true: by the time she reaches her twenties, every woman in the state has been harassed ATLEAST ONCE. There are no 'she asked for it' cases (the male's best excuse) here. The halter top and miniskirt culture is yet to set in. Few women, unless forced to by their professions, venture outside alone after 9 p.m.  The question arises; why? Why is street harassment so rampant in Kerala, indeed, in every corner of our country? Perhaps the root of the problem breathes in countless homes across the social spectrum, where it is imperative that the men sit for dinner first. Where the girls are told to carry their jhoota  plates back to the sink, while the sons watch on. Somewhere in between, some very wrong lessons are being taught.

Every woman knows the feeling of being ogled at, the perils of travelling alone. A crime goes unnoticed each time such incidents are brushed aside as harmless “eve-teasing”. Step into a city bus and you find the conductor leering. Walk down the street and rest assured someone will be kind enough to sing you a vulgar number. But these are just the pleasant stories.  Street harassment can shatter a girl’s sense of worth. Imagine the plight of a twelve year old girl who finds herself being groped in a crowded bus. The fear of a schoolgirl molested on the road to school. Hardly comfortable with the changes in her body, she would not dare to speak out. She would naively think, “It’s my fault”.   If you have a young daughter of your own, please tell her she’s not to blame.  Tell her when faced with such a situation, to raise a racket and let everyone know what a shameless lout he was.  Tell her to be careful when she is out on her own, but always, always tell her: It‘s not your fault.  She needs to know that.
Seriously, haven’t we tolerated things for too long? We must become the change we want to see.  At the start of every day, promise yourself that you will not be intimidated by anyone. If you are harassed in a crowded place, don’t keep mum. Don’t hesitate to give a tight slap to someone who deserves it, as long as your safety is not jeopardized. Learn to defend yourself.

Street harassment won’t stop overnight. Nor can solitary efforts achieve much.  I implore every person reading this blog to volunteer for causes such as the Blank Noise project (http://blog.blanknoise.org/).Every man has to fight for his place under the sun, womankind must fight harder. Where is the zeal of yore, the will to stand up for the things you feel strongly about? Pull it out of the cold and temper it in fire, because we need every extra hand.