With the rise of online payments, orders, and transactions in the wake of the pandemic, we are constantly exchanging numbers with people. But unfortunately, technology is being misused by some people to breach the privacy of women. For instance, women shared screenshots of flirty texts sent to them by delivery and customer care agents. But several of us are trying to tackle the problem in our own little ways, like this girl who reported an online harasser by mailing his chat screenshots to his school.
An Indian Twitter user started the conversation by sharing an unfortunate experience she encountered with her milkman. From asking her marital status to texting her in the evening to ‘chat’, she narrated how the man crossed his boundaries and also misused her number.
A day in the life of a woman in india.
Got a milkman to deliver milk thinking it's good to support small and local vendors. He previously asked me if I am married and live alone. Today he asked me if I've taken a bath or not yet. I am creeped out and uncomfortable and annoyed.
— Tanzila Anis. (@aaliznat) October 23, 2020
And this is so common that it’s not even surprising anymore. When he had given me his number to settle bills etc via Paytm, he had called me in the evening to ‘chat’ and then also I had been very weirded out.
Back to getting online deliveries for milk I guess. 🤷♀️
— Tanzila Anis. (@aaliznat) October 23, 2020
Imagine being a woman and considering the pros and cons of something as basic as getting grocery etc home delivered with respect to your safety. Because random men will be in possession of your location and phone number.
You can’t imagine this unless you are a woman. 🥺
— Tanzila Anis. (@aaliznat) October 23, 2020
My house help, Jayanti tells me this milkman accosts house helps in lifts and propositions them and makes them uncomfortable too. This again tells me that when one woman speaks, other women will open up and you’ll find the creepiness is not accidental.
— Tanzila Anis. (@aaliznat) October 23, 2020
Have reported him to the AOA of the society and made it very clear that he is a potential danger to women and young girls who roam around the society unaccompanied as well and hence should be banned from the society.
Don’t mess with women who don’t like keeping quiet. 🤷♀️
— Tanzila Anis. (@aaliznat) October 23, 2020
Other women shared similar instances of such men they encountered in their day-to-day life who overstepped their boundaries and send unwanted texts without consent.
UGH. I’m so sorry, T.
I remember I had spoken to a furniture guy for a desk I wanted to get made. Didn’t happen because he kept sending me whatsapp messages and when he came over, he asked if we could be friends.
I got so scared, I asked him to never message and blocked him 😒
— need hugs give real hugs (@cronehatchet) October 23, 2020
It is. And it makes you curse yourself for being kind and humane to these men.
— Tanzila Anis. (@aaliznat) October 23, 2020
I get it. Its one of the major reasons I don’t order in coz I live alone. Coz you give numbers and addresses to delivery men and that fear is always there …what if they take advantage of it. But it’s happened before so .. 😔
— Ms.Andrist! (@chatterboxpb) October 23, 2020
It’s annoying that something as simple as getting stuff delivered home is a safety issue for women.
— Tanzila Anis. (@aaliznat) October 23, 2020
Reminds me of my dermatologist who thought it was okay to send a 'Happy birthday, stay young and stay naughty' message on Facebook. And ofcourse, the list of blocked numbers of delivery boys, ola/uber drivers just grows longer every year. https://t.co/7VKPEgQwNj
— Rucha (@Ruchaacha) October 23, 2020
Lack of boundaries is so familiar. A much older NGO co-volunteer who would try to read sexually explicit poetry to a 15 y/o me, a client randomly asking me after a private Mandarin session if we could 'also talk about things other than work' and 'be friends' https://t.co/d1N9QQp05O
— AM (@AnantikaMehra) October 23, 2020
Some men shared how they have previously lent their numbers to women for their safety:
Most of my friends and colleagues who live on campus use my number to contact people to get stuff done because they’re done dealing with men who can’t and won’t respect boundaries. Although a couple did text me asking me why I had a picture with “madam” as my dp.
— Aditya⁷ 🐋🌈 (@monojinjo) October 23, 2020
We are so paranoid that for even a regulated service like Uber I used to do most of the bookings for wife/mom.
— WFH S a m o s a w a l l a h (@samosawallah) October 23, 2020
Have you ever faced any instances like these? Tell us!
Cover Image Source- Left