I have
always thought of you as a sensible and sensitive anchor Mr.Pandey. but, today
the way you interviewed Ms.Chinmayi proved me wrong.
Throughout
that one hour interview you had just one question to ask - 'Why hadn't she
spoken about it earlier. True, it is a valid question, but, to harp on that one
question throughout the interview was coarse and cruel. and, you went on
insisting that some woman would just like that name somebody as predator just
to shame him, fully overlooking the fact that Ms.Chinmayi has named just this
one man in the whole lot of the industry and that any woman naming any man does
not have easy acceptance in the society and it would become more detrimental to
the woman in question, as things stand today.
you could
have asked a lot of meaningful questions like the impact of such psychological
burden on a woman, how she can overcome it, what is the role of family in this,
along with the redressal cell on the guidelines of Visaka committee what more
support systems should be there for the protection of women in their work
places and outside.... I can go on and on. But you chose to play the role of
defense lawyer arguing the case of Mr.Vairamuthu, all the while insisting that
you were not doing so. sad indeed.
THE
AFFECTED WOMAN IN QUESTION ACCUSES A BIGWIG AND SAYS THAT HE HAD BEEN USING THE
NAME OF A POLITICAL PARTY CHIEF BY WAY OF INTIMIDATING. BUT THE PARTY CONCERNED
WHICH HAS WOMEN'S WING AND WORLD RENOWNED WOMEN WRITERS PREFERS TO
KEEP MUM AND NO CHANNEL INCLUDING YOURS FEELS LIKE CALLING THOSE VOCIFEROUS
WOMEN IN THAT PARTY TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE. SAD INDEED.
Mr.Pandey,
you went on asking Ms.Chinmayi, in the manner of cornering her, on the prospect
of someone accusing some man just like that and repeatedly brought in your name
wondering what if anyone mentions your name just like that as an offender?
Imagine me to be the anchor and you the guest. What if I ask, “Why do you keep
harping on this possibility? Has anyone mentioned your name as an offender? Why
the preemptive mood?' As a guest, how would these questions make you feel? I
really want to know.
The
oft-repeated question to the victims of sexual harassment at the workplace:
1)WHY
DIDN’T YOU REPORT ABOU IT THEN AND THERE?
2)WHY
HAVE YOU TAKEN SO LONG TO COME OUT AND SPEAK ABOUT IT?
I have
also asked it. But, as a woman I am also able to arrive at some answers:
Young age and the vulnerability associated with it.
WHY
DIDN’T YOU REPORT ABOUT IT THEN AND THERE?
· The Fear
of losing one’s job.
· The fear
of facing threats, slander.
· Lack of
support system, both in the family and in the society.
· The wish
to get along with life, with the hope that the world is not full of predators
and the hope that one would be able to push the traumatic experience(s) off
one’s mind and life.
WHY
SPEAKING ABOUT IT NOW?
· Attaining
maturity to reviewing things and deciding what to do with them on your own.
· Reaching
a stage and position where one would be in a position to handle the resulting
slander, threat and what not.
· Better
support system in family and society.
· The
realization that however much one tried one couldn’t just bury the trauma and
get along with life.
· The
unbearable rage that the affected person feels on seeing the predator held in
high esteem in the society and posing as a gentleman, luring more and more
hapless women into his trap and with all that leading the life with absolutely
no regret for what he has done and what he is doing.
·LAST BUT
NOT THE LEAST, THE VICTIM SPEAKING ABOUT HER TRAUMA AND ABOUT THE OFFENDER CAN
BE THE FACT THAT HE IS STILL AFTER HER, HOUNDING HER, HARRASSING HER.
