We are no strangers to stories of sexual harassment. In fact, it has become so common, that the #metoo movement received a huge response. Our social media was flooded with instances of people recounting their experiences. Though a majority of it were women, some men too found the courage to speak up.
While we had hoped that things would begin to look up, these recent events prove that we are far from it.
According to the Times Of India, students of National Institute Of Fashion Technology(NIFT) Kannur, have come forward with over 50 accounts of sexual harassment that took place in the last couple of months alone.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgWLFCjhQT0/?taken-by=niftkannur
The incidents range from catcalling, eve teasing, cyberbullying, molestation to the classic slut shaming. And despite there being other educational institutions in the vicinity, it seems this treatment is focused primarily towards the students of NIFT.
This brings to light the ill-informed notion in the minds of a majority of the general public that the fashion industry and everyone associated with it are promiscuous in nature.
Students took to the Instagram page of the institute to post some of their experiences. And trust me these will make your skin crawl.
1. A blatant intrusion of privacy!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BggiP8ehXFp/?taken-by=niftkannur
2. This happens way too often to not have been addressed by now!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BggiH28hTtj/?taken-by=niftkannur
3. What shamelessness is this?!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgghzAbBXq_/?taken-by=niftkannur
4. I have no words. Just. No.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgghoiDBn0p/?taken-by=niftkannur
An alumnus of the institute commented saying that such behaviour has been around for a long time. What started off as ogling, when left unchecked grew into cases of molestation. A certain junior of hers was even a victim of an attempted abduction attempt, as told to Storypick.
The students have had enough and are genuinely concerned for their safety and wellbeing.
Last week they conducted a protest rally around the college to put out the word that they would not tolerate physical and sexual violation anymore.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BgYqy8ShOYV/?taken-by=niftkannur
What should have come as a surprise, and unfortunately isn’t, was the response they received from the Taliparamba DSP.
Times Of India reported DSPÂ K V Venugopal as having said:
“We do everything possible to prevent such attacks. But we have a request; girls should maintain certain discipline and not go out alone at night.”
When is this attitude going to end? When are we going to stop asking our girls to cover up, walk with their heads down, not go out alone, not talk to strangers and what not? Haven’t we had enough cases of sexual harassment in our country alone, to identify that the problem is not with how the victim chooses to exist?
The battle has just begun and we should all do our part to educate people on the sheer absurdity of this still being an issue in 2018.