leave me I request you. Don’t be so rude. Help! Help!” She cries and cries and cries…no one stopped. What is happening? What is her mistake? For what she is being tortured so? She herself doesn’t know that. She is just declared a whore, a slut. Her wings are cut down. Her dreams are broken into pieces which are pricking in her heart each and every time reminding her of the curse she got. Her drives and desires disappeared in the darkness of this unsocial society. A curse, a bitter truth that she is a girl, a female - one of the weaker genders as define by the societal forces. Her mistake is that she was born as a girl which means she will do what she is said to do. Her desires, dreams, wishes, drive means nothing to this society. Is this our so called independent India? Is this our genuine society who snatches the freedom from a particular gender? Who they are to decide our future, our actions and our attires? This society puts a lot of questions on our existence as a female. They are neither free birds nor humans in the sight of this so called genuine society. They are just what people considered them. This is our society buddy, where female harassment is a topmost crime conducted. Rapes, domestic violence, child marriage, female infanticide, etc. are becoming the part of daily lifestyle of the people. Many of those victims either survive with a tag of whore or die with the guilt which they are unaware of. If she lives a funky carefree and fearless life then she is seen with the eyes of lust, greed, indecent and intolerance. She is a whore or slut if she has male friends, hangout with them, wears shots, denims, and dresses, lives her life in her own way, want to drink, smoke, do party at nights, etc. In childhood she is told that she is the princess and there will be a price charming who will hold her hands and take her to his palace. She lives in the world of fantasy, fairy tales and can have whatever she desire. But soon the time comes when she put a step towards teenage and given a trailer by this bloody society that she is no more a princess. Being a girl, she is taught to serve her family, society and to make adjustments with everyone by killing her own priorities, dreams and drives. All of us have wings...wings like a bird to fly high and held our head with pride. These are the wings which are made of dreams that everyone has in their eyes. A dream to do world tour, a dream to marry a prince, a dream to get a chocolate city, a dream to become doctor, a dream to live a happy life, a dream to…, etc. Dreams are the twinkles of our eyes that motivate us to survive, to live. They are just as a lifeline to live a meaningful life. What if someone cuts down the oxygen supply from our environment? We will die starving for the life. Similarly a girl without a dream is a body without a soul. You can’t decide what she needs. Respect her guys and throw this bloody society’s vision of cursing her for each and everything. Let her free from the formalities of proving that she is also a human to be treated respectfully. You raped, she cried. You cursed, she requested. You stalked, she frightened. Most probably she has to suffer a lot just because of such unsocial elements who just for their lust throw her pride apart. She becomes a toy to play with. She becomes a thing in local saying “Maal or item” to have fun with. Is she just a puppet of your hands that whenever you want you will and when become fed up you throw? She dies with such a guilt which was even not her fault. But she has to pay because she is a girl. After this she is no more appraised by the society. She is the criminal of the crime which she doesn’t commit. She is being trapped in the darkness of the room to hide her scars from the social critics. Holding candles in their hands people come out for a march asking for justice for her. One day, two days or last ten days…what happen does she get justice or rapists are hanged till death? Nothing matters it lasts maximum for two or three months after that who cares. No one comes to know whether she want to survive or die. If she wants to live the people will make her die from their comments and taunts passing them moment by moment. She is cursed by her parents that due to her fault they are shameful. Her fault was that she was fashion conscious, brand conscious and lives a carefree life. She became a prey for the haunting lustful animals. Rape, a demon of lust is severely under- reported. In many parts of the world, rape is very rarely reported, due to extreme social stigma cast on those who have been raped, or the fear of being disowned by their families, or subjected to violence, including horror killing. A United Nations statistical report compiled from government sources showed that more than 250,000 cases of rape or attempted rape were recorded by police annually. The reported data covered 65 countries. In India, Delhi is becoming the rape capital of the country. According to a report the number of rapes in Delhi registered a rise in 2015, with data suggesting an average of six cases every day. As many as 2,095 cases of rape were reported in 2015 till December 15.
raped but are harassed in many ways viz. dowry, kidnapping, eve-teasing, domestic violence, etc. This is not the point where the game ends. Soon a new game starts. She wants to live a happy independent life but soon got married to a boy of her parents’ choice. She denied but no one listened and said that now she has to adjust with her in-laws in any case at any cost. She tried but failed. She was made afraid if she deny then she has to pay for it. She wanted to escape but was trapped in the cage of emotions, fears, cries and soon she became a victim of harassment. She hanged till death…People said she committed suicide but no one knows it was a murder, a cold blooded murder. They killed her just because they were not able to make her a puppet of their hands. This is the status of females in our society. She can be your sister, daughter, wife, girlfriend or mother. But no one cares until and unless it happens with their closed ones. They shout, they cry, they ask for justice but at last they have to hide themselves from the world. A number of cases are still pending. No judgement, no decision just files moving from one place to other seeking hands to judge them. “A girl, a dream, a curse…She is born as a girl. She has a dream. But soon she realises she is cursed by the world.” “A girl should be like a butterfly. Pretty to see. Hard to catch.” Butterfly symbolises freedom of oneself. It is blessed by god with wonderful patterns and pretty colours on its wings. It flies and flies from one flower to many flowers. It lives nearly around 14-15 days of life but with pride and freedom. So pretty and beautiful. A girl with the wings and colours of her dreams is pretty at brains and beautiful at heart. She can fly with her imagination from the world of reality to the world of fantasy. She can dream of fairy tales and she needs at least one to come true. Let her live with the freedom. Let her breath. Stop cursing. She has the right to freedom. She is the one who can raise her voice against unsocial beings. Raise your standards instead of blaming her attire. Violence against women is rooted in discrimination and inequality, making it challenging to address. Woman are unaware of their rights cannot claim them. Government and organisation without access to standards, guidelines and tools cannot adequately address these issues. Once evidence accumulates and awareness spreads the potential of stopping all forms of violence too. ‘Shout out for Feminism’. Feminism campaigns are generally considered to be one of the main forces behind major historical societal changes for women’s rights. It effected change in particularly Western society, including women’s suffrage; greater access to education; more nearly equitable pay with men; the right to initiate divorce proceedings; the right of to make individual decision regarding pregnancy (including access to contraceptives and abortion); and the right to own property. It helps in raising the status of women in the society. More and more feminism campaigning should be done particularly in backward areas of the society to make aware the women about their rights and about their own importance in the world. Women should step out for the justice and lodge FIRs against each and every crime committed towards them. Amendments in the Constitution should be done for granting more laws and rights in favour of women. More and more self-help groups, organisations, NGOs and committees should be formed and established to work for the welfare of women. They should make educated. Self-defence workshops should be conducted for free. Various lifesaving products should be manufactured with the view of protecting women in case of danger and should be supplied to each and every woman. Pepper sprays, teasers, safety apps, sirens, etc. are the best example of these products. Every woman should be supported by her family, friends and society. They should be friendly with them. Remember she is your girl, your mother, your wife, your daughter or your sister. Always be ready to help them, not only for a relation with her but for humanity. Whenever you are the witness of such crime immediately report it. Treat women with dignity and respect. Raise your voice as well as your standards. The way a woman is dressed doesn’t tell you if she wants to be commented on or to be seen with a lustful sight. If she looks dressed up, don’t assume it is to gain the admiration or advantage of all men she sees and that you should say something to her. Stranger rapes and harassment are real threats for women. Don’t assume all women are single, heterosexual or bisexual, or interested in male attention or in forming a relationship. Women deserve the same right to privacy in public that most men enjoy. Indian law has provided special provisions in Constitutional laws as well as in Code of Court and several High Courts have laid down various guidelines to support the women in every possible way against injustice. Every girl should be made familiar with them. Here are some of the rights every woman should be aware of: Right to free aid, Right to privacy, Right to untimely registration, Right to virtual complaints, Right to zero FIR, Right to no arrest (after sunset and before sunrise), Right to not being called to the police station, Right to confidentiality, Right towards crime and not a medical condition, Right to no sexual harassment, etc. So law is with us in many ways to protect but a step far to go and slow to proceed. These proceedings must be fast and at a pace to bring down the statistics of such unlawful and inhuman acts. I, being a girl myself live in a misery that whether it is a curse to be a girl or a blessing. But I think it is you, only you who can make your dream life come true. I shout, I cry, I raise my voice and I know I am the heroine of my life. Girls, you are the main player of this game. Just be fearless…whatever seems unusual to you just go and shout against it. Be bold, be free. Your prince charming is waiting for you…You are the creator of your life. No one can defeat you until you lose hope. These hells will no more strong to afraid us. Dream big, think big. No one is above law and humanity. So just stop! Stop! And stop! This world doesn’t have any right to deny a girl’s freedom. They can’t curse her for what she is. She will dress up as per her choice. She is neither a whore nor a slut. She is a human, a human being. Got it!
“A girl, a dream, a curse…
A world which is so worse. Lust, harassment and violence, Leaving a brutal silence. She strive, she cries For the justice one denies. Scars of shame, Whom to blame. For law and rights, She is alone to fight. No one cares, But she dares. They are rude, Making her nude. Killing humanity and spreading brutality, They ask for justice and equality. She is broken inside, Her dreams are thrown aside. To this world she is a puppet of few hands, Tied to a societal band. Stop it! Stop it! She is a human, not the goods for profit.”
Save a girl, save the world’s beautiful
creature. Stop harassing, start appraising. Respect her instead of cursing her for every shameful act being conducted in the world. Make her dreams come true. Let her fly high. Give her wings in form of freedom. Appreciate her efforts and actions. And soon the world will say “A girl, a dream, a blessing…”
Written by: Raksha Soni Email: soniraksha96@gmail.com