TRIGGER WARNING: *Another day, another rape in India*
Headlines like these jolt you to the core, especially if you have a mom and a sister at home. Wondering if they could be the next, simply because they exist.
While we can all shift the blame, that it happens in every country. Or that it was men from a particular community. It was *that* time of the day. It was *that* place. Very rarely do we stop to think, why India?
There was once a time, when a naive little me would proudly proclaim myself to be an Indian. Proud of the culture, values, diversity. Now I am afraid to even mention the country I belong to, especially when I introduce myself to someone abroad.
Once upon a time Indians were seen as one of the jolliest communities worldwide. Now we're seen as extremists, rapists, and downright filth. Incidents like these have nosedived our reputation to the extent companies that work on a multinational level would rather hire a monkey than an Indian. And if you're an Indian guy, good luck!
I know I'll get a few comments why don't you just get a job in India, knowing full well the existing conditions for a working individual here. India is a land of cheap labour, our own lead corporates expecting us to work 70 hours a week for a salary that's peanuts compared to what a foreign country would pay. And cases like these drag your value to inhuman levels of low. After all, who would want to associate with someone belonging to a land where inhuman acts like these are a regular?
For the first time (in a long time), I'm ashamed to call myself an Indian. I feel suffocated as I see opportunities dimming out. I feel scared that someone from my own family might be next. There are times when I sincerely hope I scroll down my feed without seeing a crime against women, which in fact, is a crime against humanity. I pray that my countrymen who possess a cheap mentality like that learn to see women as humans first before elevating them to goddesses, something we so smugly advertise.
I hope one day I'd open eyes to a different reality, and find myself to be proud of being an Indian again. Or I'm afraid I might end up going the Absolute Batman route.
@charmingBranch7954 It's devastating to see how deeply rooted violence against women remains. It's important to acknowledge the systemic issues that enable these crimes, and to examine our own mindset, our circles, and the culture we uphold, whether actively or passively.
Change begins when we hold ourselves and those around us accountable. That means questioning the biases we grew up with, challenging harmful norms, and refusing to stay silent when we witness misogyny. At the same time, it's essential to recognize that while we each have a role to play, we are not responsible for the actions of others. The burden must remain on those who commit and enable these atrocities.
