It was a lazy Sunday evening and I was on my walk. I was coming back home with a some vegetables. Then came a guy walking in the opposite direction, I saw him walking towards me and I was looking at him as I walked and then he tried to press my breasts, I squealed even before he touched me but he still touched me and I pushed him away. The bags in my hands fell down and I ran behind him, it was a well lit main road and he ran across the road I ran behind him but couldn't catch him, my reflexes were slow. Some autos stopped and asked me what happened "Did he take something they asked?", but he was gone. I picked up my bags again and walked ahead, there he was at the corner this time I ran behind him again but he crossed the road and I missed him again....
This is not the first time I was assaulted, the first time it happened I was shaken I couldn't react, the assaulter was gone before I realized I was assaulted... there was anger, I wanted to shout out aloud. The assault happened from behind, since then I keep looking back, to check for any shadows. I wanted to write about it, but was too shaken. The second time it was a different road, different man I ran behind him, chased him across lanes but stopped before catching him, I was exhausted but I also didn't know what I would do if I caught him, so I let him go. I was proud of the fact that I could atleast chase him. This time I still was keeping track of the shadows, but the attack was from the front. I still could chase, this time I knew I would take him to the police but couldn't catch him. As I was recounting the horror to a friend, I realized these were not it there were several others, one after the other they come back to memory...
This time I wanted to write about it, for my own reactions surprised me. The first time I was shaken, the second time I chased.... I was getting better at handling the assault. This time I was still shaken but I didn't make too much "fuss" about it. Come to think of it, it seems scary, the fact that I am learning to deal with the assault! I was counting the assaults but I realized I had missed several, I wonder if the assault will become so common that it would one day become "Just another assault!" I write this to memorialize it, for I don't see it stopping anytime soon...for I want to remember the time, when I got used to the assault.
I have heard it all, was it dark? were you alone? was there no body else on the road? have to taken a picture? keep safe.. don't walk alone..that city is bad...We all know the drill by now. I also know that I am not going to heed to any of this, for if I step back, I will never be able to be back to my roads, yes the roads are mine, more mine than anybody else's.
I was wondering, what could be done to stop this, not walk on the roads? No I can't cripple myself because of some fools. Report them to Police, but it is not that reporting one would stop others from resorting to it. But I still hope, may be if I report/retort the same person will think twice before attempting it again. Beat up the person, this probably would be the first reaction but no that is definitely not the solution, for I take pride in being civilized and mob justice is not the way, definitely not the way. The change like it has been argued has to come from something more basic. Somewhere we have failed as an education, family, religious and moral system (where exactly is a well known fact). It is not a problem which can have a quick fix solution. Some people told me to carry a pepper spray, but come to think of it, it seems silly, I got to arm myself everyday every moment. Add a new body part called pepper spray to myself, may be.
Or may be I will wake up and go ahead with life like every other day and then after a little time, or may be even tomorrow there would be another assault, and the drill would continue, only the next time I wouldn't even write about it. But I refuse to sign off on a hopeless note, I hope there would be change for the better in my lifetime.
