MY SAFETY, MY RESPONSIBILITY

Deep condolences to the poor victim who just died and still awaits justice.

There has been a lot in the newspaper about “the martyr” girl who just “lit a flame” and woke us all from the deep slumber we were in. Well the slumber part wasn’t exactly mentioned but was actually well evident to any sensible soul who reads the newspaper.

If I have to come straight to the point, all this frenzy around this case (which is being termed as one of its kind) is actually totally media created; nothing that actually scintillated us. I can say this with enough confidence because there have been rapes of minor girls as small as 6 years old but we hardly cared.

We don’t really care about things till they are headlines and/or direct affect us. I have seen people read the news of a 2 month old baby girl being raped and thrown into a dustbin and they just forgot it the moment the other piece was read.

How many “daminis” have been raped brutally and thrown into secluded places, we never really cared because nobody really reported them.

But this time, she was thrown into full public view and honestly we wouldn’t have given it a second thought had the media not got wind of it.

And lo! Here comes the awakening. We have peaceful (really??) marches, candlelight vigils and prayer ceremonies. Social Networks are abuzz with the daily status updates of the girl (how commoners like us get to know such closely guarded secrets about her amazes me.).

We have a name and a face for her even though nothing about her has been divulged.

Our sensible lady celebrities come up with great comments

“I may walk naked but you can’t rape me” SERIOUSLY!!

You think that will work?? C’mon lady welcome to reality.

Our peaceful marches end up in vandalizing properties that people bought out of their hard earned money; where exactly the peace went I know not.

Now on a serious note: these marches and slogans about castrations and stuff, ok c’mon now have you really gone through the statistics as to which class majority of the rapists belong to?

Most of them do not even know what castration is.

And the great big things, the last lines she said to her mother when she died. Man! A girl of exceptional talent I must say because she wrote a really well versed poem in her last moments.

We have made a fun of her actually. Politicians are crying, breaking down at any moment.

The Government is being held responsible, well then please tell me who went and voted for them?

And how exactly do you define her being a martyr, pat comes the reply; she fought for her life, well I think that none of the victim ever gave away easy to the rapists because then it would have been wishful sex and not rape.

And comes the calling to shun the Republic Day parade! How many of us actually celebrated the day?

I think that any day, leaving out the New Year party was a better option because that would in true sense been a sacrifice.

All said and done about us now let me talk to the girls please.

Let’s face it; we all know that the mentality here is mean and there are people for whom women are still the object of sex and sex alone. You call it lack of education or economic difference but this thinking exists and will not change all of a sudden.

We all have come a long way but there is still a long way to go. Till we reach the euphoria we want, let us all be careful about our safety.

I feel sorry for the girl but she could have been a bit more careful. Ok there are cases in broad daylight too but then, if they happen in the day time, at least don’t risk out at nights.

We all say prevention is better than cure then why do we not really follow it. Agreed showing your legs doesn’t mean you’ll open them too but you should know where to show your legs and where not.

I do not say that don’t go out and have a night, please do but before that be self sufficient enough that you can handle it all if the time comes. Winston Churchill was very true when he said, “Hope for the best but prepare for the worst”.

See girls, I do not intend to scare you or something and I strongly believe that the criminals should be brought to justice but at the end of the day, it is your life and finally you alone who gets to face the repercussions.

I have always blamed the men for their mean mentality but then, when we know what they are like we should be careful enough.

At the end of the day its all about us and our safety. Remember always, if its your safety, its your responsibility.

(Views expressed by the author are strictly personal and not meant to harm anybody’s sensibilities.)