tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27807586895177894762024-03-02T17:47:18.512-08:00Blank Noise SpectatorsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-36038512786258170752011-11-07T02:11:00.000-08:002011-11-07T10:20:50.953-08:00Reuben and Keenan<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/cgAYhUyAK8Y" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Priyanka: I don't know why people didn't respond. when we were screaming begging for help there were 50-60 people just watching us. Nobody came forward to help us.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kIHjiGWXueE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><iframe src="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?key=0AllrzlJZJi4IcFhqOVFxQnJVaVo3cjhzcnNnbEN2S1E" width="760" height="1195" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0">Loading...</iframe></div>Blank Noisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15706132814047641101noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-39673995556429061182011-01-04T11:28:00.000-08:002011-01-04T11:31:08.786-08:00Ludhiana<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/A9F6RwmOZL8?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/A9F6RwmOZL8?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />Language- punjabi<br />The boys teased her. She slapped him and took off her sandal. A crowd gathered. She asked the guy to drink water from her sandal. She said she wouldn't spare him otherwise.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-80514287158078835362009-04-19T12:33:00.000-07:002009-04-19T13:39:44.389-07:00<div><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Samir Gandhi</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bike AP 09 L 1154</span></span><br />Saturday evening at 0615 PM i was driving thru Prakash nagar, Begumpet area and saw two guy passing on lewd remarks on girls..they were on a Bike AP 09 L 1154. and were trying to drive close to any auto or car having girls and near to girls walking by and hurling lewd comments at them. </div> <div> </div> <div>I tried calling 100 but there was no response fir the first five minutes. After that they sped of towards somajiguda area. Again at 0630 pm i called back 100 and reported the incident but the operator on the other side was not at all attentive he just listened and said okay and kept the phone... I am still to sure if they are gonna act on my phone call.</div> <div> </div> <div>We sure do miss a help line sort of thing for eve teasers and lechers. Though i have not travelled much but i always find guys staring at girls who are driving and they drive close them to stare thru the scarf / helmet. </div> <div> </div> <div>What pained me more was the reaction on the Victims who just went on their way with out even considering to do something. I tried to ask one of them about it and she just ignored me.. and went away..</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-54961460528717718162009-03-07T23:11:00.000-08:002009-03-07T23:12:18.296-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Pravin Sharma</span><br /><br />Anybody who lives in Mumbai, knows about the locals here. At peak time, the locals are very crowded and the men stick out of the doors, climb on top of the roof...<br />I attend a Coaching Class which is located in Borivali for which I have to cross the Railway Tracks on foot. (Of Course, its illegal but there is no other way, the common bridge is quarter km away) Many people use the crossing to cross over to Borivali W from the Eastern side and Vice Versa,like me.<br />Its not that I hadnt heard about eve-teasing, I had assumed it to be a minor thing and never bothered to think too much about it. But all that changed last year. As I was waiting for a packed local to pass, with a few other people, I suddenly noticed several jeering voices, hooting and whistling. They were all coming from the local coming from Virar at 9:30 am.. To be honest, I had not expected such a thing to happen, so I was shocked for a moment. Then I saw the girl beside me hanging her head down in Humiliation and the commuters above (all of them, yes all of them) eyeballing her and whistling. What peturbed me the most was that the eve-teaser was not a single person but the entire train. I had to watch with sadness and helplessness as coach after coach passed and all the people inside each coach started howling. Maybe being in a group gave them some feeling of invincibility. I looked at the others nearby. Clearly they were uncomfortable too, trying to avoid looking at the train as much as possible. After the train passed, everyone including the girl went back to their business. I thought maybe they were used to it now.<br />I was left alone, feeling insecure,weak and helpless. I spent the entire day brooding over the incident.<br />Now I had to attend my class every alternate day. Whenever there happened to be a female (age didnt matter) the hootings began if she had to wait for the train to pass.A single guy whistled and the entire train followed him. The jeerings and tauntings were especially high if she was in a western outfit (not necessarily immodest, the kind of clothes you would not mind your sister wearing)<br />Even women aged 40 + were not spared.<br />Common phrases used were " Phone me coin Daal" (for someone using a cellphone) and some other unmentionable phrases.<br /><br />In the evenings the train used to be relatively empty and I did not find the incidents happening . So obivously they felt safe in numbers.<br />Once I saw a group of girls (age maybe 13-14) become a victim to this. Yet I could only stand and watch as the train drifted away quickly.<br />Soon, I noticed the females who regularly crossed the tracks would wait at the street, behind a wall for the train to pass before they stepped on the railway tracks.<br />Now, I have become so used to this that it does not bother me anymore. I know that I am helpless, I cant do anything to stop it. The train wont stop and even if it would there is no way I can tackle 50-60 people on my own.<br />I just pray that someday, maybe I wouldnt have to wait for the train to pass with some member of my family.....<br />What I think is that these people are influenced too much by Indian Movies. In movies, usually the actress falls for cheap antics and cheesy dialogues by the actor. Maybe they think what they are doing is right after watching these movies..<br />So thats it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-50601443485987910822009-03-01T11:20:00.001-08:002009-03-01T11:20:54.894-08:00<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cw5F5zCSlH4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cw5F5zCSlH4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-2460002080230615882009-02-27T08:15:00.001-08:002009-02-27T12:21:57.166-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Jasmeen</span><br /><br />Immersing myself in the issue of street sexual harassment has made me calmer or less angry in some ways. I am set on being part of the process of communication rather than immediate reaction. Taking the position of the communicator makes me want to address rather than react.<br /><br />There is irrational rage, the kind of rage that does not allow someone to see, hear, think, feel. How do you communicate with a very very angry person?<br /><br />I was walking down Brigade Road, looking forward to a very sinful deathbychocolate at the Cornerhouse and then suddenly I saw a man trip on the road. A scooter hit him. The person on the scooter was a woman, perhaps middle aged, in helmet and sari. She apologized.<br />He got up and started screaming at her.<br />I walked to the site- at first wondering if they were a couple and that he had fallen off or whether he was a person crossing the road who had tripped.<br /><br />She had tears in her eyes.<br /><br />He was yelling at her in kannada.<br /><br />" You don't know how to drive. you stupid woman!"<br /><br />I stood there repeating ,"Stop it. She has said sorry. Please stop it".<br /><br />...and then before I knew it, he slapped her.<br /><br />I was looking around and there was no one coming to the site.<br />I didn't pull his hand back because he could have slapped me.<br /><br />I was left repeating ," how could you slap her? why did you slap her? she apologized for the accident, you did not have to slap anyone!"<br /><br /><br />" Will you pay for my injury?"<br /><br /><br />I don't know of his injury. He was walking as normal.<br />I turned around , still repeating the same questions, and getting no answers.<br /><br />I saw a woman on the pavement, fuming with rage , walking upto her husband, screaming,<br />"why doesn't anyone come to help?!"<br /><br />I looked at her and asked her why she didnt come to help.<br />"why were you standing here and watching too?!"<br /><br />She walked upto that man and screamed<br />" How dare you? How dare you , you bastard?! you fucking bastard?! how dare you slap a woman?!!"<br /><br />" How dare you call me a f$!@£!@ b£@$@£$?! you whore?!"<br /><br />I continued to ask him why he hit her. I asked him to not deviate from the point.<br />I repeated- "why did you have to slap her?! "<br />My question was ignored.<br /><br />The woman's husband pulled her away and yelled at the man who had met with the accident- he was swearing too.<br /><br />We told him to come with us to the police station for slapping a woman. He said yes but the woman has gone.<br /><br />A crowd had gathered. finally.<br /><br />The man disappeared.<br /><br />Some said- you are just 2 women. Dont get into these things. He will harm you.<br />Some said- you are right. We also saw this. how dare he misbehave.<br />Some said- nothing will come of this.<br /><br />We stood on the pavement asking why no one came to support?<br /><br />A middle aged man on his bike commented, " Next time there should be more male supporters and the only way we can deal with him is by bashing him up. That's the only 'solution'."<br /><br />I was warned to not continue walking in the direction that I was. I was going to catch an auto rickshaw home. I walked the other way round, another route, just incase he was hiding, waiting for a prey. I hated having to do that. and I hated not having been able to do more than stare, ask a question that remained unanswered. I am glad that there was a crowd and there was an angry woman but is rage the answer to rage?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-36482204424554548932009-02-26T14:49:00.000-08:002009-02-26T14:51:29.642-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Thupten</span><br /><br /><br />If Only<br /><br /><br />It was just another weekend at a hip club in the ‘party capital’ of India. There, the multi-ethnic young crowd was having a gala time relaxing away from their hectic weekly schedules. Many were seen simply indulging in various forms of alcohol (ala cocktails, shooters, etc etc) while some were busy shaking a leg or two to the groovy hip-hop tunes by the DJ under strobe lights. Alcohol, beautiful people, good ambience, psychedelic lighting and pulsating music thumping from the gargantuan speakers; the night was young and happening. And, I with my posse was having a ball.<br />In an alcohol induced stupor & loud music, dancing the night away; time simply flew(or at least it seemed so). And, lo, it was almost dawn and the DJ spinned away his last track for the night. Hence, the party came to a gradual end. For starters, I was exhausted after dancing like a demented lunatic (for like 4-6 hours) and to add to that the euphoria-inducing effect(s) of alcohol was fading away, leaving behind a mild yet splitting headache. So, I was resting.<br /><br />While, I was drowsy and impatiently waited for my friends (who had vanished like Houdini! with their dates I might add); a hushed conversation (in hindi) nearby caught my attention. Phrases like “Abey isse kahan le jana hai?”( where do we take her) and “maza lenge” ( we will have some fun) struck my ears. I turned around, only to see a “firang” girl (most probably of Russian origin) clinging on to this shady-looking guy who looked like the ringleader of this gang of ‘local’ miscreants.<br />And, it was this very guy who was making these nefarious plans. I was worried. I tried to make eye contact with the girl, possibly to signal her about the imminent danger or atleast give her a cue. But, the girl in her carousal, simply smiled at me; completely oblivious the impending peril. I was frustrated.<br />So, seeing no other option, I was honor bound to intervene and to prevent this ‘probable’ heinous act from happening. But, seeing their numbers, I decided to ask my friend(s) for backup. I asked the friend who was sitting nearby. But, to my utter dismay, when I explained the dire circumstances; instead of being agitated or worried, he coolly stated:<br /><br />These guys look like locals and hence could be dangerous<br />The stupid girl is asking for it clinging onto this shady looking guy.<br />Not to act like a “hero” unless I wanted to be stabbed/shot at (that too for a stranger)<br /><br />Appalled by his reaction, I looked around for my other friend(s). But, to no avail as they too responded in a similar, cold, heartless and blunt manner.<br /><br />I was frustrated with their reactions but ever after berating them for a while, they didn’t show the least interest in my concerns. And, they almost dragged me outside and into the car. I half-heartedly left the club, worried about the girl (not that I had any right to, a coward that I was)<br />And I left.<br />Alas.<br /><br />I have never forgiven myself for leaving that night and leaving that hapless girl to those wretched mongrels. And god knows whatever happened to that girl, I still wonder. I did pray and wished for her safety & and to this day would like to believe that nothing “untoward” happened to her.<br />But, I am also aware of the fact that this world is not some righteous utopia and India (esp. Delhi is not a safe haven for women in general). And, also there is a very high probability that “the girl” was sexually assaulted that night. <br />And, even though I was aware of her plight.<br /><br />I DID NOTHING!!<br />And, I am to blame.<br />Sigh. Her smiling face has been etched on my brain and is a grim reminder of my cowardice. Everyday I look at myself, that incident made me realize that I have failed all my ideals, ethics and morals I firmly believed in.<br />If only, I had intervened.<br />If only…Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-12481054884832085772009-02-26T13:17:00.000-08:002009-02-26T13:20:04.650-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Asavari</span><br /><br />Honestly I don't know.. I feel guilty about it.. I was in the car with my dad driving me back home late at night and on the way we crossed a lil shady kinda lane.. It was late at night about 12:30 am.. I saw a young girl walking on the side of the road and some disgusting men in a rickshaw and on bikes hooting at her.. I could see she was uncomfortable and trying to avoid them.. It wasn't a desolated place but that area is not too good, you know what i mean... And our car had the windows up so my dad did not notice it happening but I did.. I don't know what made me not react.. Though I was disturbed but I don't know why I dint tell my dad to stop the car and offer to drop her home.. I often regret this.. Maybe it was some sort of fear in my subconscious mind..<br /><br />How would you like the public to support?<br />Help me get the pervet/s arrested.. coz ofcourse it is a crime!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-19310716653589663052009-02-26T12:23:00.000-08:002009-02-26T12:26:50.411-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Abhay</span><br /><br />i got near the girl so that if she opposes i can lend support but she just walked off...it was a case of guy on bike passing some comment to a girl.<br /><br />I could have only supported the girl if she shows some courage....for a complete stranger you dont know if it was a eve teasing also or not.<br />May be they are lovers.<br /><br />But girls have to show some resistance so that people around can help out<br /><br />people should come forward and show symapthy to the girl ..try to let eve teasers know that we are not dumb and deafUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-11307820204786739432009-02-25T21:10:00.000-08:002009-02-26T01:53:33.327-08:00<span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size:100%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 204);font-family:trebuchet ms;" >have you ever seen someone else<br />experience street sexual harassment?<br />did you intervene and support the survivor?<br />did you walk away?<br />PLEASE SHARE YOUR STORY<br />OF BEING A SPECTATOR TO STREET<br />SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR 'EVE TEASING'<br />BY FILLING THE FORM <a href="http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pXj9QqBrUiZ7r8srsglCvKQ">HERE.</a><br /><br />THIS BLOG WILL BE UPDATED EVERY WEEKEND.<br />THANK YOU- YOURS TRULY- <span style="color: rgb(204, 204, 204);">BLANK NOISE TEAM</span></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-24691710109125179312009-02-24T18:32:00.000-08:002009-02-24T18:34:27.795-08:00via meghana naidu on the bn bangalore mailing list:<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Saugata Chatterjee</span><br /><br />A few of my friends and I were just paying our bills and coming out of<br />our regular Friday night watering hole and dinner place in Rest House<br />Road, just off Brigade Road, and most of the women in the company were<br />already standing outside. Some of us outside were smoking, people were<br />happy, there was laughter and jokes, as there were many other people<br />in the street, all coming out, satiated, in the closing hour of the<br />various pubs and restaurants around.<br /><br />Suddenly from up the street a massive SUV comes revving and speeding,<br />hurtling down, and stops in a scream of brakes and swirling dust,<br />millimeters away from this group of 4 women, barely missing one of<br />their legs. A white Audi, imported, still under transfer, with the<br />registration plate of KA-51 TR-2767. Some millionaire's toy thing,<br />that in the wrong hands can kill.<br /><br />Naturally the women are in shock. And quickly following the shock<br />comes indignation. These are self made women running their own<br />businesses, managing state responsibilities for global NGO firms,<br />successful doctors. They are not used to being bullied. So they turn<br />around, instead of shrinking back in fear. They protest.<br /><br />And as soon as they turn around in protest, the car doors are flung<br />open, and a stream of 4-5 rabid men run out towards these women,<br />screaming obscenities in Hindi and Kannada against women in general,<br />fists flailing. Some of us who came in running at the sound of the<br />screaming brakes now stand in the middle in defense of our women, and<br />then blows start raining down. One of the goons make a couple of calls<br />over the cellphone, and in seconds a stream of other equally rabid<br />goondas land up. They gun straight for the women, and everyone – a few<br />well-meaning bystanders, acquaintances who know us from the<br />restaurant, basically everyone who tries to help the women – starts<br />getting thoroughly beaten up.<br /><br />Women are kicked in the groin, punched in the stomach, slapped across<br />the face, grabbed everywhere, abused constantly. Men are smashed up<br />professionally, blows aimed at livers, groins, kidneys and nose. A<br />friend is hit repeatedly on the head by a stone until he passes out in<br />a flood of blood.<br /><br />A plain-clothes policeman (Vittal Kumar) who saunters in late stands<br />by watching and urging people to stop, but doing absolutely nothing<br />else. A 'cheetah' biker cop comes in, with our women pleading him to<br />stop this madness, but he refuses action, saying a police van will<br />come in soon and he cannot do anything. Everyone keeps getting<br />hammered. Relentlessly.<br /><br />The carnage continues for over 20 minutes.<br /><br />Finally when the police van does come in it is this vandals who are<br />raging and ranting, claiming to be true "sons of the Kannadiga soil",<br />and we are positioned to be the villainous outsiders, bleeding,<br />outraged. How do the cops believe them, especially seeing the bloody<br />faces of our men and the violated rage of our women, while they carry<br />nary a scratch on their bodies? Don't ask me! Yet, it is us who these<br />goondas urge the newly arrived law-keepers to arrest, and the police<br />promptly comply, and we are bundled into the van, some still being<br />beaten as we are pushed in. Some blessed relief from pain inside the<br />police van at least, even if we are inside and the real goons outside,<br />driving alongside in their spanking white Audi. The guy who was hit by<br />the stone is taken separately by the women to Mallya hospital.<br /><br />Inside the police station at Cubbon Park it becomes clear that these<br />goons and the police know each other by their first names. The<br />policeman in charge (Thimmappa) initially refuses to even register any<br />complaint from me, on the purported grounds that I am not fluent in<br />Kannada and I have taken a few drinks (3 Kingfisher pints, to be<br />precise) over the evening. No, it doesn't matter that I didn't have my<br />car and was not driving, and no, it doesn't mater that the complaint<br />will be written in English. We watch them and the goons exchange<br />smiles and nods with our our bloodied and swelling eyes and realize in<br />our pain-clouded still-in-shock brains the extent of truth in the<br />claim of one of the main goons when he claimed earlier in the evening<br />in virulent aggression: we own this town, this car belongs to an MLA,<br />we will see how you return to this street!!<br /><br />This was the turning point of the saga, I guess. For we refused to lie<br />down quietly and be victims.<br /><br />One of our girls, a vintage and proud Bangalorean who is running one<br />of the town's most successful organic farming initiatives, took upon<br />herself to write the complaint, when I was not allowed to write the<br />same. Another Bangalore girl, a state director of a global NGO firm,<br />wrote the other molestation complaint separately on behalf of all the<br />girls. Some of us called our friends in the media and corporate world.<br />Everyone stepped up. And even when the odds were down and we were out,<br />we did not give up, and as a singular body of violated citizens we<br />spoke in one voice of courage and indomitable spirit. That voice had<br />no limitation of language, not Kannada, nor English, or Hindi. It was<br />the voice of human spirit that cannot be broken.<br /><br />And in the face of that spirit, for the first time, we saw the ugly<br />visage of vandalism, hiding behind the thin and inadequate veil of<br />political corrupt power, narrow-vision regionalism and self-serving<br />morality, start to wilt.<br /><br />We spent 6 hours next day in the police station. The sub-inspector of<br />police who filed our FIR, Ajay R M, seemed a breath of fresh air<br />inasmuch that he did not appear a-priori biased like others, even<br />though the hand of corruption and politico-criminal power backing<br />these goons was still manifest in many ways: a starched, white-linen<br />power-broker walked in handing over his card to the sub-inspector in<br />support of the goons; the goons got an audience with the Inspector<br />because of this intervention, while we had to interact one level lower<br />down in the hierarchy; the plains cloth policeman of last night, even<br />though he had arrived far too late in the crime scene, gave a warped<br />statement, passing it off as a "neutral" point of view, repeatedly<br />stressing that we came out of a pub and hence were drinking,<br />positioning this as a 'drunken brawl', while completely forgetting to<br />mention the unprovoked attack against the women and the one-sided<br />vandalism and violence that ensued. I guess one cannot blame the low<br />ranked police officer – the criminal connections of these goons must<br />be pervasive enough for him to be careful.<br /><br />Thanks however to the impartial handling of the situation by Ajay,<br />soon the goons were all identified. The lead actor was one Ravi<br />Mallaya (38), a real estate honcho and owner of a small property off<br />Brigade Road which he has converted into a "gaming" (you know what<br />that means, don't you?) adda. The others identified are Mohan Basava<br />(22) of Chamarajapet 12th Cross, R. Vijay Kumar Ramalingaraju (25) and<br />Shivu Rajashekar (20). All are residents of 12th & 13th Cross in<br />Vyalikaval. Their bravado and machismo were by that time evaporated.<br />It was good to see their faces then.<br /><br />Of course nothing much happened to them, nor did we expect it. They<br />were supposed to be in lock up for at least the weekend till they were<br />produced in court, but we understand that they were quickly released<br />on (anticipatory?) bail. The car, purportedly belonging to an MLA,<br />also does not figure in the FIR, apparently for reasons of<br />"irrelevance to the case".The media also have given us fantastic<br />coverage and support so far, strengthening the cause.<br /><br />The goons meanwhile, as an after thought, also filed the customary<br />reverse complaint on the morning after we filed our own complaint: the<br />women have apparently scratched the car! (Why did they not file the<br />complaint the same night, considering they came to the Police Station<br />in the same car? Why was the car allowed to be taken off police<br />custody? Why is the car still irrelevant to the case and not in the<br />FIR? Questions.. questions..).<br /><br />Is this the end of this saga? Probably not. Are these women, more<br />precious to us as friends and wives than most things in our lives,<br />safe to walk or drive down Brigade Road from now on or are the goonda<br />elements, slighted by this arrest and disgrace, are lying in ambush,<br />waiting, biding their time to cause some of us more grievous harm? We<br />don't know. Is there reason for us to remain apprehensive of future<br />attacks and victimization? Perhaps.<br /><br />But here is the point.<br /><br />We stood up.<br /><br />We believed in the power of individual citizens even in the face of<br />hooliganism, intolerance, corruption and power mongering. Even though<br />many of us have the option of leveraging political or government<br />connections, we deliberately chose to fight this battle as<br />individuals. Sure, these connections have been activated and they have<br />been kept informed, should the worst case scenario unfold tomorrow.<br />But we have chosen to not leverage them. And in every small win we<br />register as a group of individual outraged citizens of Bangalore and<br />India, however insignificant these milestones may be in the larger<br />scheme of things, there is one small notch adding up in favor of what<br />is right, one small notch against what is wrong. And we believe that<br />every such small notch counts, each such mark is absolutely<br />invaluable.<br /><br />It is the people who make this city, this country, this world. It is<br />you and I, as much as the terrorists inside and outside. And in our<br />small insignificant little ways, it is my responsibility and yours to<br />not shirk from investing effort – not just lip service or any token<br />attempt, but real effort – in backing up what we ourselves believe in.<br />It is so easy to logically argue that everything is corrupt, nothing<br />is worth it, there are so many risks involved. We must not fall trap<br />to this escapist trend. We must not fail to try.<br /><br />Next time you feel outraged, violated, abused, don't let it go by and<br />add up to your list of litanies and complaints. Stand up and take it<br />to the limit - at least your own limit. Not in the same way as they<br />wrong you, but in the way that every citizen, at least in theory, is<br />entitled to complain and protest. Do not let the hooligans power rant<br />scare you or prompt you into submission. Do not allow the corrupt cop<br />make you give up trying. Carry the flame forward. Try harder.<br /><br />If are up to it, start right now.<br /><br />Forward this note to everyone you want to be made aware of this. Post<br />it in your own blogs. Talk about it amongst your circles. And if<br />anyone of you should like to step forward with a word of empathy or<br />advise, talk to me. Comment.<br /><br />It is not Bangalore that is going to the dogs. It is us. We have far<br />too long become accustomed to let everything go. And the more we let<br />things go without any protest or fight, the dormant criminal and dark<br />elements of the society get that much more encouraged. Every time we<br />turn the other way, the hooligan next street gets incentivized to push<br />the boundary a little further, provoke a little more, try something a<br />little more atrocious. It is time for us to refuse to let this go on.<br />We are responsible for making ourselves proud. Lets believe in<br />ourselves. We can do this.<br /><br />My name is Saugata Chatterjee. And I am standing up.I refuse to let<br />Bangalore go to the hooligan slumdogs, even if some of them are pets<br />of corrupt power millionaires.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-28867294815861195712009-02-19T23:49:00.000-08:002009-02-19T23:53:03.601-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Justy</span><br /><br />i have seen a woman being whisteled on, but ignored because i did not know i could do something to the guy whistling. what's more, i might fall into trouble if i helped say shout at the guy or so.<br /><br />i never made a scene.<br /><br />i have experienced street sexual harassment a lot. no one have ever helped me.<br />i would like to see the public supporting me by shouting at the perpetrator. especially in cases of comments and whistiling. at least those are the ones i really get to experience.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-41117461786789284562008-11-02T13:53:00.001-08:002008-11-02T13:56:47.099-08:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Megha Bhagat</span><br /><br />I have witnessed street sexual harassment.<br />I got involved.<br /><br />I was with a friend walking on the road just chatting with her and actually not observing things around me. Then as we went and stood on the bus stop waiting for the bus i see this guy trying to get all close and funny with a girl waiting there for her bus. She must be a little younger to me and i saw the change in her getting uncomfortable and she tried moving away. the guy who looked maybe a few years elder to me moved in alignment with her and tried getting up and close. She didnt look like she would say something and i by that time moved closer to them and spoke at the top of my voice , "dont u see there is no place here, move away from here, its congested". everyone around us had started to stare and after giving me a glaring look he walked away from the stop.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">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? </span><br /><br />yes i have been eve teased loads of time. whether its whistling, passing comments, and loads of other forms. But not even once have i had any support.<br /><br />I have always raised my voice and spoken to the guy but all that people do is give a stare.<br />Feels pretty redundant but not useless.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">How would you like the public to show support when you experience street sexual harassment?</span><br />If nothing else the people around me can come and ask on what happened and give him a piece of their mind.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-17784820989297692162008-10-12T07:30:00.000-07:002008-10-12T07:31:14.464-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Shruti</span><br /><br /><br />i have experienced eve teasing or physical touchings,but they just passed by so quickly that i couldn't react to them.And i have'nt made any such situations very public because of this.<br /><br />i would like them to stand with me and support me.i want them to call up police or let the public themselves handle such cheap men.i also want the women to support women.they always let the other ladies down in such situation ,by being a spectator to the whole incident or giving them dirty looks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-60037318102756870432008-10-12T06:51:00.000-07:002008-10-12T07:04:07.593-07:00<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Maithili Desai</span><br /><br /><br />What made you react in the way that you did? </span><br /><br />I had encountered sexual harassment myself, when I was new in the city. I remember the feeling of disgust that had filled me. I don't want any other human being to feel the way I did and find themselves alone in the situation.<br /><br />I was returning home from college at around 7.30 in the evening by the Borivali fast train. Since I had male friends with me, I was in the general compartment. At Andheri station, a girl my age got into the train. There was a man behind her who was touching her and she was visibly uncomfortable. After a moment or so, I asked the man what his problem was, couldn't he keep his hands to himself? he went into the defensive and started ranting about how people point fingers without proof etc. one of my friends too got involved and warned the man to behave himself. the others in the compartment too supported us once we raised our voices and the fellow had to apologise. We then asked the girl to stand with us for the rest of the journey.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">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? </span><br /><br />Yes, I did experience sexual harassment once. I came to Mumbai for my education almost a year and a half ago. It was during one of my first bus rides in town that I was harassed by a fellow passenger. I didn't know what to do and was deeply embarrassed. a fellow passenger noticed my discomfort and asked me to move in front of her in the aisle and stood between me and that man. I couldn't have thanked her enough!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Have you ever experienced street sexual harassment and made a scene and not have the public support you?<br /><br /></span>Not really. But I'm sure that if the situation arises, I am confident that anywhere in the city, if I raise my voice, I will get help.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">How would you like the public to support you?</span><br /><br />The best support would be to encourage police proceeding. That will be the best way to stop this nuisance.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-56617941112897995852008-10-04T15:34:00.000-07:002008-10-04T15:35:25.547-07:00What bothers me is the apathy and sheer ignorance that people around exhibit. I'm from Lucknow and was traveling in a Tata Sumo once, which is what used to be one of the forms of public transport here a few years back. (The year this happened being 2005). Anyone who has ever traveled in the back seat of a Tata Sumo knows how cramped and nauseating that can be. To compound the misery, the Sumo driver used to take six people on the two bench-like seats at the back to earn more so you have no choice but to sit squashed inside like a pack of sardines. I was going to my Grandmother's house and was compelled to take the Sumo owing to my bike being given for repairs.<br /><br />A girl got on from the Railway Station. She must've been a few years younger than me, had a suitcase with her and I assumed she was returning from some college somewhere. She sat on the side opposite mine since mine was already occupied with a middle-aged woman and an elderly man. There was already a middle-aged man sitting there (I'll call him MAPOS - middle-aged piece of shit). After she got in, another man got in after her and she was sandwiched between the two.<br /> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Sarika</span><br /><br />The MAPOS kept sitting there very coolly with his arms crossed. After a while I noticed that the girl was looking very uncomfortable. And I realized that this guy was fondling her breasts with a very disgustingly constipated look on his face. He obviously assumed that he was hiding the fact really well.<br /><br />When he just didn't stop, I asked the man on my side of the seat to go sit there and asked the girl to come sit next to me. She was relieved, obviously. And the MAPOS gave me a dirty look like I'd just slapped him. I then had to get down because my stop had come and this guy got down as well.<br /><br />After all this, he had the gall to ask me what my problem was. I wanted to scream my lungs out at him. I just asked him to mind his hands, left him babbling to himself, paid my fare and left.<br /><br />Location: Lucknow, in a public transport vehicleUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-62865072966874806862008-09-28T15:40:00.000-07:002008-09-28T15:42:54.033-07:00<span style="color: rgb(255, 204, 102); font-weight: bold;">Sri</span><br /><br />I was very young then. It was my birth day. Both my mom and dad went to Necklace road in Hyderabad. Dad had some work and left. So it was me and my mom at around 9 pm happily chatting away with cool breeze. Then some guy comes and asked," How much?", to my mom. My mom shouted at him and grabbed me to her saying that I was her son and my dad will come there soon. I was so scared then. Now I feel guilty for not doing any thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-90636650332311322502008-09-28T15:29:00.000-07:002008-09-28T15:40:27.427-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 204, 102);">Vivek</span><br /><br />I ignored.<br /><br />They were big hefty guys, so I wouldn't have got into a vocal confrontation, unless it got really bad.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-46788056947816887952008-08-31T09:54:00.000-07:002008-08-31T09:57:30.777-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Sabah Ahsan Malik</span><br /><br />A girl was ogled and hooted at by boys almost every day at a tuition centre to which I used to go in O levels. Surprisingly other females present there laughed at her. What I found outrageous was the indifference of the females towards her. I didn't do much but I made sure I passed a disapproving look at the male perpetrators. It worked. They stopped passing vulgar comments a loud. I asked the other females to not laugh at her but to show her support.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />I was walking with a friend to the French Center which is at a distance from the University where we study. I was walking behind my friend. Two boys riding a motor bike hooted loudly, whistled and then said something which was inaudible to me in all the traffic din. The motor bike rushed past me. I stopped. I was out of breath because of the sheer closeness of the vehicle that went by me and was relieved I did not get hit. I was not supported by the public. My friend assured me to not to feel scared and keep walking.<br /><br />How would you like public to show support?<br />When I experience street sexual harassment I would like someone from the public to offer company and comforting words. To remind me that the fault is of the perpetrator. If the perpetrator is told of what he just did and how wrong it was, that would be great!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-83096995408833748032008-08-29T18:20:00.000-07:002008-08-29T18:30:30.824-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Myna</span><br /><br />I had just hopped onto a bus and ofcourse it was crowded. I tried to reach out for the women's section hoping to find a woman's seat...something I am not a fan of but I realize it's value- in terms of encouraging women to access public transport. I suppose it is regressive- but never the less, I depend on it.<br /><br />The entire women's section was taken over by men who didnt offer the seat even though they saw a mass of women waiting to sit.<br /><br />I was tired. It had been a long day..wasnt sure how to get a seat without causing trouble or making a scene. I asked the women around me why men filled up the women's seats. Some smiled and looked away. Some said 'they wont listen, they are like this only'. Eventually after many attempts at getting the local women in the bus to get 'our' seat and failing I went up to a man and asked for the seat. He refused. I stood there , looking at him until he got up. I dont quite fit in , culturally , visually - people see me as alien. I have been asked if Im kashmiri. french or even iranian despite my poor steady attempts at speaking the local language.<br /><br />Back to the man and the seat and us women:<br />I continued to look at him and repeatedly ask for the seat. Other women looked on. Ofcourse I was making a scene for 'no apparent reason' as some might interpret...but he finally got up.<br />I would be considered more of an outsider if I grabbed the seat he vacated, and so instead I asked the local women of the region to sit there. Seeing the scene another man left the women's seat and I finally got my place. It was a strategic move...and as a result I ended up making polite peaceful conversations on my way back home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-89561256733209948912008-08-29T18:09:00.000-07:002008-08-29T18:20:20.610-07:00Blank Noise Spectators Special<object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cw5F5zCSlH4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cw5F5zCSlH4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><br />We don't know his name but we met him in Calcutta while shooting for a Blank Noise video project in June 2008.<br /><br /><br />More video based interviews and statements can be found<a href="http://blanknoisespectators.blogspot.com/2008/08/kolkata.html"> </a><a href="http://blanknoisespectators.blogspot.com/2008/08/kolkata.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">here</span></a>, and <a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://blanknoisespectators.blogspot.com/2008/08/i-have-seen-loads-of-eve-teasing-in-my_15.html">here</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-50260308318535723602008-08-29T18:07:00.000-07:002008-08-29T18:09:11.763-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Suparna Kudesia</span><br /><br />Was sitting in an auto when the driver suddenly braked behind these two girls walking in a side alley. The girls were obviously startled and taken aback and the driver thoroughly amused by what he had done. He chuckled and stared at them as he rode away. After a few seconds of processing what had happened, I asked him to stop the auto and pull-over. When he did, I asked him why he did what he did. He was clearly suprised and not pleasantly at all when he responded, "Now what did I do?" I repeated my question asking him not what but why he did what he did. When he mumbled and bumbled for a bit I essentially decided it was pointless to beat about the bramble and tell him exactly what he did and what I thought of it. I wasn't yelling and was surprisingly composed. I was however, angry. He then responded with exasperation and asked what it would take for me to shut up. I was too mad to even respond to him, so I threw the fare at him and walked out saying my last few angry words. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">How would you like the public to react?</span><br />I would like the public to first help create a space where one doesn't have to feel vulnerable and unsafe. I would then like people to understand that it is completely unacceptable to be violated sexually, physically, and emotionally. If they ever hear someone muster the courage to confront a perpetrator, they must verbally and physically communicate that they believe said survivor. Then there must be a sense of individual responsibility to confront the perpetrator even if you are not the one being harassed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-79908516075392748232008-08-29T18:06:00.000-07:002008-08-29T18:07:42.127-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 102, 0);">Nalini</span><br /><br />I called the police.<br /><br />My group of friends and I have always felt that we were the very few lot of our generation who were feminists, but not in a cliched way. We believed that we had to do what we could since there were lots who were unable to speak about harassment that they underwent and in a way owed it to us and them. We were those fortunate ones who had support of family , friends and were brave enough to go to a police station to give a complaint.<br />I am talking about Bangalore, a good 15-20 years back.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-76951501856707993742008-08-29T18:03:00.000-07:002008-08-29T18:06:21.232-07:00<span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Kavitha Rajaram Mookerjee</span><br /><br />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!!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">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? </span><br /><br /><br />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!!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">How would you like public to support?</span><br />Help, verbal support at least!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2780758689517789476.post-15814889460796310662008-08-29T18:00:00.000-07:002008-08-29T18:02:52.983-07:00<a href="http://astrodominie.wordpress.com"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">Jayashree</span><br /></a><br />I don't think I've ever really seen anyone being sexually harrassed. I don't include things like cat-calls, staring and so on in this definition since it's too [frighteningly] common on the streets. To the point where I haven't done anything about it at all.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">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?</span><br /><br />I have experienced harrassment but nobody ever really came forward to do anything about it. People just sort of walked past as if nothing had even happened in the same vicinity as them.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Have you ever experienced street sexual harassment and made a scene and not have the public support you? </span><br /><br />Yes. A man on the street was walking towards me and he reached out and touched me. I called out violently and tried to swing at him, while gesturing to the people around me, expecting some sort of reaction. However, people chose to walk past me anyway. It was sad but not shocking or unexpected {their reaction).<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">How would you like the public to react?</span><br /><br />An outcry. Like in the movies, people gathering around, being responsive and reactive. No matter how 'trivial' the incident, I would like some sort of anger or outlash against the perpetrator, just so that he knows that it ISN'T trivial.<br /><br />But I don't see this happening very quickly.I myself don't have that mindset. Or at least I don't know yet whether I do.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1