#MeToo and You Too

The ‘MeToo’ movement has gained momentum. As the names are being spilt, the pot boils with indignation, as well as anger. Brows are being arched, the honesty a little hard to digest. Eyes sufficiently shocked, by the famous names exposed. Sometimes the lips curl in skepticism, as such sexual harassment is a social prevalence, they assume. Some are just not willing to believe it! The glaring incongruity of it all! Redemption time seems here, because of the movement, and yet not so because of our social structure, the dominance of the patriarchal male. Social media has been the best platform in the recent past, it has forced law enforcers to take cognitive steps, like in the Nirbhaya Gang Rape Case -2012, Kathua Rape case - 2018 and others. The Sitapur Gang Rape Case is an example of how unsafe women really are.

Why Now?

Is the question being asked. The time factor is being questioned. Why are women talking about it now? Sexual harassment is a disease. It has been there in every field, including in the family and friend circle. But stricter social norms were acting as a deterrent in the past. With traditions parting to give way to the new-age technology and personal freedom, sexual harassment has mutated into a horrible infectious and harmful disease, an epidemic. Sexting is so common. With new-age diseases come new-age cures. The social media is the cure not the prognosis. The prognosis must come from preventive laws enforced, in ways the prove to be punitive and truly preventive. Now because women are so ailed by sexual harassment they are seeking help. Now is a good time.

Worry

What is a movement like this going to result in? Is it going to be a media cult, and remain so? Will law enforces take cognitive steps to prevent sexual harassment? Because thus far there is total failure to provide adequate protection and justice in India. Sexual harassment is almost a leitmotif of our social fabric. It lies latent like cancer. People often are afraid to say, I have cancer. It has been euphemized into the Big-C. There is so much sensitivity toward the disease, in the same way a woman finds it difficult to say I have been raped, I have been propositioned, because the woman and her virtue are valued commodity in the eyes of society and there can be no damage or disclosure of damage. Post disclosure, life then becomes insufferable, because of doubt, innuendos, stigma and in some cases rejection.

The Biggest Worry

The biggest worry for this movement is almost fifty percent of the population will fight it. That fifty percent is slightly more advantaged, as they are the men in power and position. A lesser percent among them are the accused. Slightly more in percentage are involved in the investigation and justice. The fraternal force. One New Year’s Eve women were molested in Bangalore, initially there was not one statement from the DGP or the home minister decrying it and promising justice. They said it only after social media became vociferous.

MeToo has spoken. You will have to recognize the fact that sexual harassment is a criminal offence. It must be equated to murder, as must be rape. There should be a collective social abhorrence toward harassment, and the underlying theme of such social prevalence should be wiped clean. Now is the time to begin doing that!