Hello Stranger,
I apologize for never written about you, its not because I forgot the incident but perhaps I learned, understood and realized that without your guidance on that particular day I wouldn't have faced the perverts in public transport. I would've continued to ignore and given a bigger chance for them.
I don't know if you can relate or not but I was advised by my family to stay silent and avoid confrontations with strangers. You see I don't blame them, they just want me to be safe and sound in society.
A simple advice from you on the early morning route to college changed my view on being silent all along with the harassments in public transports. I don't remember you so well because you just told me to start rising my voice otherwise this may continue and you got off the bus. I was stunned because I didn't expect you to give me that advice and didn't know you had noticed it too.
Not just that you made me think about the situation and how other girls and woman go through the same on a daily basis. I made up my mind to defend myself in any future incidents because I know that was certain that there would be another incident to me or other girls and woman travelling.
Many people react different to different situations, My friend once had slapped a man for touching her inappropriately but the blame was on her at the end, so I came up with an idea to handle the situation subtly.
The next time when a similar situation occurred I was actually sitting on the bus seat and the alleged man was standing next to me. We cannot jump to conclusion that every boy, and man standing next to you are perverts or creeps. So I gave the man a benefit of the doubt, but when I was certain he was indeed trying to touch me I just silently stood up and offered him my seat and moved two seat down and stood there. He was confused and didn't know how to react.
Similarly I had seen another girl going through similar situation as mine, again I offered my seat to the older man to sit. Surely he was confused and didn't know to react, but I won't advice anyone to stay silent if the situation required a confrontation then go ahead because we have to stand up for ourselves. Even pretending to know the victim will also be helpful to deviate the attention of the creep, we can use it to our advantage and move from that place.
I'm not the first and last to experience Harassments in public transports, there are so many others both man and woman facing Harassments, just a small gesture or movement will break this cycle of Harassments.
Thank you stranger for teaching me that you have to stand up for yourself because sometimes there will be no one to support you.
Your fellow Traveler.
~Aviva :)
P.S. This is a true incident in my life. Always stand up for what's right in situations even for a stranger, don't know you might save someone from serious danger.
Comments