Blank Noise Spectators

Kavitha Rajaram Mookerjee

This incident occurred on one of the Delhi's infamous DTC buses that I travelled regularly on to my campus everyday about a couple of years back..I saw a girl getting into the bus and a guy following her into the bus.He tried to touch her,brush against her in every manner possible..but somehow couldn't.After witnessing his 'discomfort' I decided to intervene and offered the girl the seat next to me..obviously, the guy was peeved and kept giving us angry glances..but couldn;t do much!!


Have you ever experienced street sexual harassment or 'eve teasing' and been supported by the public? Did they help? or show support? if yes, in what way?


Sexual harrasment was an everyday affair as student regularly travelling via 'DTC buses'..one fine day while returning home from the campus I got into one of these extremely crowded buses..call it my folly..never repeated that again!!I got up to get down at my stop and I felt someone groping me and rubbing against me in the crowd..somehow the whole resentment and pent up anger at being subjected to such humiliation somehow got a vent!!I caught the person's hand through the crowd and refused to doggedly let go of it..no matter what!!I HAD to bring out the face from the crowd..LO BEHOLD!!It turned out to be a 50-55 year old man..who instatnly refrred to me as his 'beti'!!That day was a breakthrough...I dragged the guy out of the bus and slapped him repeatedly till he somehow ran off!!No one from the crowd of spectators came to help or support in any form!!I think it was something akin to rage, but after that day ..I fought..I haven't ever been supported on the street EVER as of now..but its my personal battle and if we don't fight for our dignity, I have realised that noone else will!!

How would you like public to support?
Help, verbal support at least!!