(s) MOTHER- ing

A word of caution: It is only about women, for women and by women. They form this lineage of change of defining Mother-hood.

Do you feel

• motherhood is the last mile of fulfilment to be defined a “complete woman?”
• creation of a child completes a “woman,” whereas men’s creativity can only fulfilled through external sources?
• for a woman, her children should be the first priority, beyond her own self?
• a mother always, in any situation, wants the best for her child?

If your answer to any/all of the above is a “yes,” then you are not reading the right space of empowerment.

The origin of this word “Mother,” “Ma”, “Mama” still remains a mystery. This mystery gets into further depth when Indian mythology brings in the definition of

“strength (shakti) with exceptional love towards all (matritva), actually merging it with defining brhamaand or the universe.

I am quite amused at the loaded responsibility a woman gets from the peripheral operational energies as a girl child. It amuses me further at the expectations of deliverables that this universal definition puts on a soul with a humane body. It sickens me to see the struggles that millions of women go through to prove their mettle “because I am a mother!”

Let us begin from the very beginning.

A girl child looks at the only female body as the first touch – it is called “Mummy”, “Mama”, “Mata,” and more in various dialects. This body does not only feed her food, but also fodder of feelings. This body generates energy that is felt by each cell, bone and marrow of the girl child, as she shares a generic wave of the pool of female-ness.

A girl turned woman is also brought up with this claim, that, that a mother always wants the best for her (can be read as for all her children). It is a far cry from the real truth.

A woman, especially in India that is not defined and confined in its Metros-exual cities, but in small towns where IQ’s & EQ’s are mis-matched, waits for that special moment where a meagre sexual encounter (s) delivers the discovery of her pregnancy. This takes shape under various situations and circumstances, few pointers as below:

• Must get pregnant with-in two years of her marriage (if not before).

Her knowledge and decisions are never questioned

• Must get pregnant, if her marriage is not working. Then, there will be no escape
• Must get pregnant by all means, as only then she is a “complete woman”

The above reasons of giving birth to a child makes her a mother by name not by actions. Such mothers, who have inability to make choice/s, choose the inevitable. They, who are already posted as weaker sections of a male-dominated society, exhibit their feebler strength on the dependent infant – her child. Thus, begins a tumultuous journey of that God’s child into hands of an (im)moral parent, called Mother. She redirects all her unfulfilled ambitions, frustrations, anger with harassment, by smothering the child slowly but steadily – till the wounds get engraved in the innocent heart for years of her youth, middle age and if not taken care of – from the cradle to the grave.

If footsteps are traced back, it will not be a surprising revelation that the violent environment of the world today, comprises mostly of these wounded children, whose bodies may have achieved adulthood, but souls have still not healed.

In this millennial, where feminism is not restricted to be defined as bra-burning women, but those who have equally empowered physical bodies, matched with their demanding desires with power of their intellectual and spiritual beauty. Such an empowered mother, who has not birthed a child into this world by giving in to pressures of social norms, but by her inner choice/s. She lives and breathes her own freedom with loving care, which reflects in an evolved empowered human being, much needed in the world today.

Mother-hood is not accomplished by birthing. That is a job accomplished by animals. Mother-ing is realized, when women adorn that role with responsibility of love and a spiritual caring.

Let us, as women, be very vigilant on reasons of bringing God’s soul into our bodies; let us, as women, pledge that body an unconditional love and caring protection; let us, as women, be cautious not to commit a sin for the highest honor bestowed on us by Grace – as SHE found us worthy.

AKA’s – In the land of Rising Sun

“I married eight times. There are five alive now. Three have died. But I have not forced anyone. I like the woman, she likes me, that’s how I get them. I got eight. In cities people have many women hidden, leave them and then get another. But in my life, whosoever I married, I have shown the world and kept all of them,” is what Govardhan Nimasow defines polygamy, much legalised within the community of a rare tribe of Arunachal Pradesh – the Aka’s.

Arunachal Pradesh, a State in the North Eastern part of India, can also be termed as one of the largest tribal belts, hosting 26 major tribes with about 100 sub tribes. A virgin ecosystem, Arunachal is an exquisite journey of nature’s splendour – with waterfalls springing across tall mountain peaks to mystical lakes shimmering with icicles on varied shades of blue hues dancing to sun changing positions as well as, chanting monasteries.

Amidst this sojourn, I meandered into the most visited part of Incredible India, constituting of the Bomdilla – Tawang – Indo – China Border route. It was on research of a tribus clan of the Aka’s, whose history and geography are as much hidden as their origin. Aka’s history is veiled in mystery. “The time period is difficult to mention because there are no records. In the mythology and as per the narrations given by the village elders during the field study when I conducted, most of the village elders have narrated in this way as this is the origin of Aka’s,” says Dr Gibji Nimasow, Professor and researcher at Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar. An Aka tribal himself, Dr Gibji’s research constituting of books, periodicals, journals on the tribe are a rare insight into history of Aka’s.

Although the legend goes that they carry a lineage from Mahabharata, the Indian epic, claiming their ancestors living in Pratapgarh on the banks of Giladhari river, north of Bishwanath and were ousted from there by Lord Krishna and Balram – thus migrating from plains to the hills due to this feud. “That’s a story,” says Gibji with a smile. “They actually came from Tibet side, settled down towards the plains, to again return back to the mountains.”

An AKA Village

THE AKA’s

Mountains of their abode, belongs to a tough path towards Southern Kameng districts of Arunachal – a long six – hour tough journey from the district headquarter Bomdilla. The realisation came, when I decided to uncover the mystery of the tribe while travelling towards three of their villages that lay hidden amongst dense forests and hilltops of roads built on boulders. Thrizino, Palizi and Subu beckoned me into their lap of natural habitat of colourful Aka’s.

Aka tribe, all of ten to fifteen thousand in number, are divided into two main sub tribes – One is Hrusso and another is Koro. Those who are inhabited in West Kameng district, they are known as Hrusso and those that are settled in East Kameng district are known as Koro. There is not much difference culturally speaking, but the difference is only in dialect. The dialect which is spoken by the Hrusso sub tribe is different, totally different from the sub tribe of Koro.

Arunachal Pradesh is gifted with one of the richest biodiversity in the world where the religion of the Tribals belong to “Land, Forest and Water”

Since generations, tribals have protected all three in various indigenous ways that the world today needs to learn as a part of conservation ecosystem. They have a symbiotic relationship between forest ecology and the livelihood of people.

The Hilltop Dwellers – A typical Aka House

“Our core belief is the practice of Nyezino, which is combination of two Aka terms, Nyez means sky and No means Earth. We call them as Thow and Gew – Thow means rearer and Thow means feeder.  This makes us believe that all the mountains, river sources, big stones, big trees and all, has their own owner. We have to do something, we have to extract something from that area, then first of all we have to appease the owner of the land. Then only we can go for extraction or exploitation of that area or the “spirits of nature” will punish us,” says Miali Sidisow, an Aka social worker who keeps telling stories of the tribe to younger generation “so that we do not get erased in the modern world.”

Aka’s have their own laws of administration where crime and punishment are served in traditional ways – that is set-up by the village elders called Gaon Buda (Village elder) since generations. A thief is judged by the traditional village council is known as Meye that consists of Headman called Bagha with two gibba as aides with compulsory representation from each household.

AKA VILLAGE COUNCIL called Meye in progress at Subu Aka village

The meeting began with a traditional breakfast, cooked and served by beautifully dressed Aka women of that village, creating harmony and togetherness for beginning of this day. The place for holding all meetings Nyetrii Psigha considered sacred is prepared traditionally, for council and other festivities.

The Bagha makes rules in consultation with the tribe in the village council which is mainly threefold, judicial, administrative and developmental. A thief who had stolen, was present at Subu Aka village, led by the priest and then to a location in the forest. The admittance of punishment will decide the fate of the thief. After a brief prayer ritual, the thief has to walk within the bamboo laden with thorns and put his hand inside bamboo containing boiling water.

His denial to both, is proven guilty… thus justice served.

“There are certain things that are imprinted in the culture of the Akas where the role of priest is very important. As the number of priests are declining, Aka’s are facing difficulty in performing all rituals – be it administration, marriage, hunting or any other. Priest cannot be made. We believe that priests are transferred from one generation to another,” explains Dr Gibji.

One such rare priest that I had a fortunate bid to meet and film with was Jampra Desisow, who explained how long traditional yet modern marriage ceremony is conducted for six long months or more. Aka’s have never heard of an “arranged match” as it is always the freedom of the girl and the boy to choose their own partner.

“ On knowledge of the son’s preference, a negotiator is sent by the father to the girl’s home. On mutual agreement, the knots in a string are tied thus fixing a date based on the last knot, for the marriage ceremony. Mithun (resembling a buffalo, being the most revered animal of the Aka’s), is the gift from the groom, with the bride’s family equally honouring by return gifts carried to the groom’s home,” states the Priest.

MARRIAGE CEREMONY IN AN AKA HOME

All the women of the village had beauty tattoed on their faces. Termed sachiphiu, tattoing is the nomenclature of this tribe with its distinct identification and separateness from neighbouring tribes. Traditionally, the girl reaching puberty is tattoed thus barring her from eating meat, till her marriage. On the marriage eve, as the girl enters the grooms home, she is fed meat by the groom amidst celebrations.

TATTOING or Sachiphiu AN AKA GIRL ATTAINED PUBERTY

Polygamy seems to be the norm of their lives, with a well-to-do man taking on as many as 5-10 wives. They call it by various names, such as Sarorate – man marrying wife’s sister, Levirate where the woman marries husband’s brother after his death and Edogamy where marriage is within one’s own social group giving tradition of a preserved cultural lineage.

“These traditions are slowly fading away, as education of younger generation, is calling it evil system of disempowerment,” says Sang Dorjee, an Aka political leader, who also leads self-help groups to make women aware of their rights.

But within the home and life of five wives of Govardhan Nimasow, the scenario I viewed was an amazing milieu of love and laughter. “ We feel like we are in a girls hostel,” says his third wife Netan Nimasow with a childlike laughter.“We never fight,” says wife number five Jabom Nimasow, “We respect what the elder didi tells us, as she shares everything.” There was an empowering openness on discussing sharing of the man. “ When my Mr. keeps his headgear in my bedroom, I know that it is my chance to sleep with him that night,” says Netan without a blink of her eyelid, which would put disempowerment questionable.

GOVARDHAN NIMASOW, HEADMAN PALIZI AKA VILLAGE with his FIVE WIVES

Aka’s women are empowered as they hold rights to Agricultural land, are in the Gram Panchayat, speak fluent Hindi with younger generation going to school. Their farming on high hilltops termed Jhum has all its produce organic, as explains Rinchin Dema, an Aka farmer woman on why burning crop does not cause pollution. “First we cut the grass and dry it for a month, then make fire lines, then we burn it. We then see the land and then decide what should be planted in it. In some places we plant rice, in some we plant pumpkins, some places we plant sweet potatoes, some places we plant colocasia – basically we plant according to that particular land’s suitability. The benefits of our Jhum cultivation is that when we burn fire lines, the ash is used as pesticides and fertilizer unlike what you do in your cities. That is why we do not suffer from many diseases,” she ends with a satisfied grin on her beautiful face.

Aka’s lives are celebrated inspite of their lack of luxurious lifestyle, which they are unaware of. Their simplicity of innocence is showered by the natural ecology that surrounds them. They believe that “hurting a leaf and a stone or water without its permission and prayer, will hurt our homes” and “hunting is only for food whenever necessary, but 10 day penance is done if any elephant, tiger or pregnant deer is killed by mistake.”

FILMMAKER ANU RADHA with an AKA CRAFTSWOMAN

Master crafts men and women weave clothes and headgear from the local produce. Aka dress pasa is self – woven from locally grown plant mumdra; Man wear a small garment hanging below the shoulder to the knees, with a long piece tied to the waist termed Shashi Chupeo. A coat woven in rough cotton hanging from shoulder to waist called Shashi-pholu, with undergarment termed Wopu. Women wear a garment that hangs from the shoulders and red coat Shashi pholu colours them bright. Legs are covered by a piece of cloth called Gudu, giving protection from dam-dum flies, which cause acne swelling in the whole body. Unique headgears miisanga and ghaga adorn men while women being women, adorn themselves with exquisite traditional ornaments. Bamboo is their livelihood, with all its produce woven for household usage as well as, protective gear.

Music and dance are an inherent culture in the life of all tribals, so it is with Aka’s. Invited to see their biggest celebration Nyetrii Dow is a colourful feast to eyes and a dancing heart. “Nyetrii Dow festival for us is important because our Aka tribe villages spread all across, Nyetrii Dow is special as we meet each other, know each other; relatives who stay far meet here in Nyetrii Dow festival. We pray to God that our harvest should be good and all village people should be protected from any disease, and we have blessings from God,” says Hima, the Gram Chairperson dressing in her finery.

DANCING, DRESSING & CELEBRATING – NYETRII DOW FESTIVAL

There is a lot of teachings and learnings as a takeaway gift for an urban wanderer. The dense greenery with meditative silence where the only sound is of a rare insect or a natural waterfall which transforms and is preserved as a swimming pool, with majestic mountainous peaks over small hilltops laden with stones – Aka’s reverence to their ecology, is a study map for world’s conservationists.

NO. Gender. Abuse.

A reader may be perplexed by the use of a title that leads into a scratching mind-game, as an intellectual would term it. Are you? Well, let us dig a bit deeper into defining it – word-by-word.

NO: No Objection; No Ownership; No Oppression; Or simply, NO.

Gender: Male or Female, right? Wrong. To be read as: Bisexual, Straight, Gay, Transgender

Abuse: Four letter words? Nah! Although I shall expand this later, but it begins with the silent communication through five senses. Touch, Smell, See, Hear, Taste.

Make a Connection. Say NO to Abuse by/for/of any Gender.

Let us start to define abuse, and when does the seed become the germ? Flashback your lives to the time where memory fails. If you have a bright spark, you may reach age 4.

Abuse begins much early. It is when you make a choice of a set of parents to be born – as seers would say, to learn some lessons/karma theory. It begins when you are just planted as a seed in a mother’s womb. How you get planted, is where the case in question begins. And, make no mistake. It is not only if the male participant was forceful/ rapist/non-accepting (of course, most cases it may be the patriarchy) in the ‘act’, but the fe-male (physical body of a woman may have more of male-ness in with-in) can also be the violent role-player of being intrusive, obsessive and passively-active into forceful impregnation.

This is STEP 1 of Abuse. Of which, you are a helpless victim.

This helpless-ness is a continuum by so-called “adults,” and should be forgiven till you become an Adult – in chronological age, not necessary in being.

Till you reach a reasonable adult age, approved by legal honchos, of 18 years (now is reducing in a quick time space of a 12 year old, as I they open their mouths and minds!), you are in a constant abusive space of adults – homemade parental weapon wars (weapons to be read as mouth, hands, feet), grandparents ego-ic (misnomer termed heroic) saviour behaviour patterns for their own kin (son or daughter – you don’t matter, a child!), neighbourhood prying judgemental eyes (ill- legal guardians of this galaxy’s correctional therapists), school teachers (moral in their own immoral behavioural patterns of control therapy), relatives (to be read as incest infusing freaks), and so on so forth.

This is STEP 2 of Abuse. Again, you are partially disabled/challenged child-adult in the situation. You are dependent, and forgiven with scars and wounds that will now attract more of it.

It is here one has to learn and unlearn.

Learn definition of Abuse, while unlearning it.

So let us use a case in scenario. You have lived through STEP 2 and now are in the world. Let us say you have checked all the correct boxes – done well academically, socially and have become master of many masks ranging from scholar badges, parents presenting you as their achievements in the drawing room conversations as well as, you have stepped-up by wearing the toughest mask of a Happy Family/ Family is most important/ Family holidays so on and so forth.

Technically, you have a body of a man or a woman as the third gender (if it was in STEP 1) is already wailing somewhere else. Your scars/ wounds are well covered/suppressed in some corner – till you stand on the threshold of fresh abuse of a partner.

Here is where Gender will do a walk-in.

Thus, a straight (if straight really knows their sexual preference) will have a partner termed “boyfriend” or “girlfriend”; a gay will have same sex partner; a transgender will be oscillating still trying to fit-in.

Let us also bring the NO here, that we had left behind. All definitions inclusive.

If your partner makes you feel any of the NO definitions, you are being Abused. It may be as subtle as uttering a “you don’t know anything so shut-up” (with a cynical laugh or in an anger – you have been abused. If you accept this, abuse raises it’s bar up by moving into “who has more power mentally and emotionally” (physical does not need a mention, it is so gross!).

Let me define mental & emotional power games that adults play, any Gender.

The male gender of course has (never had) no sense of any spatial boundaries. As HE owns it all. Hence, if you are a daughter, you are owned by a father and a brother; if you are a wife, then the ownership is shared between father, father-in-law with mother-in-law and son/s; if you are a working woman outside your home, this boundary extends further in hierarchy of male-ness in the surrounding spaces. You are in the last rung of this long ladder of self-proclaimed owners, who stand on your shoulders (or wherever they can find a foot-hold) and then expect your to move their ladder the way they want.

So it starts by, “I have to ask my husband/father/brother/son as they may not like it,” to a very simple act of going out with friends (ok – girlfriends!) with a fear factor of doing so without permission and then justifying “his” unjustifiable anger upon return – “He is right, something may have happened; he is just being protective as he loves me.”

This is not love. It is an abuse of power. Simple.

While Male-ness have played this game for generations, now the power abuse has also shifted it’s position to the so-called (dis) empowered women, demanding equal male rights (as if it is a star quality!).  While the bedroom politics has shifted ‘positions’, women assert that even if they are not working outside of their homes, the partner (who may have a 12 hour job) must do 50% of sharing home-work – Just Do It baby! Men/ husband suffer the insufferable, as they do not want to have a verbal chaos after a long day/night job OR some smart alecs start “travelling on work,” to have some peace in their lives.

This is abuse, Man. Get out!

Now, let us focus on Love. The most used and abused word/feeling/relationship.

The so-called lovers come in many forms, in various packages.

The 18 – 30 years: We meet; we “discuss” in coffee lounges/hotels rooms/parks as is convenient to the power-ful partner’s choice of “respect.”

Well, if you are hidden, introduced as a “friend” or never invited home by your partner…

You are being abused.

The 30 and 65 (divorced/single by choice/widow): You are lonely; meet committed partners; offered intense attraction due to lame reasons of “non-compatible housewife/husband”, “no meaningful conversation at home,” “cannot commit as I am liberal/ empowered/ open”… blah, blah…; your meetings are discreet, mostly telephonic, late night conversations, partner is away, caveats on calling/meeting socially…..

You are being abused.

Beyond the 70’s

You are now a senior citizen. You may be financially independent but emotionally/mentally dependent on the children you raised. These very hands/minds/heart that raised them, are now being subjugated to could not care/do it yourself/demands of financial support/you do not know anything…

You are being abused.

Conclusive diagram

It is not that the above writing is an eye-opener; It is not even an empowerment bhashan.

Because, each one of our nerve in the vein of life knows when abuse happens.

We have never learnt to say NO. Our grain, cells, bone, marrow shrieks. But, we never say NO to Abuse.

What does it entail? Why do we refuse to say NO? Fear loneliness?

Do you see your abuser holding your hand in this mirage of relationships? Never.

Signs/Language of Abuse

• You have no sense on what you talk/eat/dress/think/read/listen/watch
• Do not give your stupid opinions in front of my friends/family/colleagues
• It is my house and your opinion does not matter/should not be spoken/ asserted
• I love you so much, but I have my family/wife/children thus we need to be discreet; Don’t call me, I will call you (waiting endlessly is YOUR job);
• We can’t meet/recognize/introduce socially, as you know how media may think/act/make stories
• I am the father and this is my decision (to a divorced/single daughter) on who will stay in my house. Although, I would not like you to leave, but then you can decide if this situation does not suit you (daughter vs her children; daughter vs society; daughter vs servants – in any situation, daughter is the last choice)
• I do not care about what society/ parents think, but I need my comfort and thus you will have to see my comfort first
• You are a bystander in and around abusive situations, as an equal participant
• You are scared of a person who is your family/friend/partner/colleague
• You are receiving text messages/phone calls/ social media messages from a person to whom you may have said YES at a certain point in time, but now you have said NO

Caution: Gender’s, if you are in a physical and foul language relationship/s, then you are not what God created.

Law says:

NOTHING, unless there are signs of physical abuse, the law says NOTHING to mental and emotional abuse. There are cases that takes years to come to a conclusion, if any, for emotional and mental abuse.

Well, stand up and stand out. See, Hear, Smell Freedom with Respect.

Walk out and walk away – as Grace has bestowed you this being for respecting and loving yourself. If you allow abuse to happen, you have abused the power of Grace/God/Energy, whatever you would like to call this force.

Say NO to Abuse. Right at the very moment. NOW!

Read

• https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/how-much-is-too-much/story-kFrYyNPJQJ7B7Ay8MPuAXI.html
• https://www.womenshealth.gov/relationships-and-safety/other-types/emotional-and-verbal-abuse
• https://feminisminindia.com/2018/08/06/emotional-abuse-psychological/

Ø  Don’t Say Yes When You Want to Say No: Making Life Right When It Feels All

by Herbert Fensterheim Ph.D. (Author), Jean Baer (Author)

Ø  Emotional Abuse Breakthrough Scripts: 107 Empowering Responses and Boundaries to Use With Your Abuser by Barrie Davenport  (Author)

Empowerment vs Harassment

The force with-in

Awareness, Prevention, Action against

 Sexual Harassment at Workplace

Generations before and Generations beyond, the power struggle is a continuum, taking a much more complex structure in this century, across the globe.

How do we define power struggle in an Indian context? Is it a Man vs Woman aspect, or is it YOU (in bold for the more powerful) versus Me (-ek less powerful), or is it beyond any definite definition?

Let us look around our scenarios of spaces, both with-in and outside environs. Harassment termed sexual is a serious problem across all genders, with the pendulum gravitating more towards women in India. It constitutes of poor understanding of what constitutes sexual harassment, both at societal and organizational level.

POSH says..

Prevention of Sexual Harassment (Prevention, Prohibition, Redressal) Act of 2013 was a landmark legal law that changed the Indian landscape, especially in the work spaces for women. It made it mandatory for organizations to create a safe and secure environmental space for working women, known as Vishaka guidelines created by Supreme Court of India, after a long drawn legal battle over rape of an Indian social development worker.

POSH act is specifically designed to benefit women, but the work spaces that have evolved in India, are geared up towards gender neutral workshops.

Awareness, Prevention, Action is defined…

Solving the issue by raising awareness of Sexual Harassment and methodologies that enable empowerment on the subject to TAKE ACTION. The effectiveness can be by various methodologies, but as in Indian context the audio-visual medium remains one of the most powerful mediums of Direct communication to create Awareness, Prevention, Action against ABUSE of any kind, but more specifically Sexual Intimidation or Sexual Harassment, especially at work spaces.

Women, who are the main stakeholders/ bearers of sexual harassment, may not even be aware of it happening, unless it is extremely upfront and gross. Men equally bear the brunt, but can still be categorized in a rare category. Other genders equal the unawareness and harassment faced by women.

But before any gender can start defending themselves, they need a deeper understanding and knowledge of this phenomenon, as it is very ingrained in a women’s life – that she has to demand respect, otherwise she will/may not receive it from the men around her.

In India, #MeToo has evoked a wildfire of awareness amongst all genders, but a deeper understanding on empowerment and awareness of harassment, is the only way forward for action. Approach to empowerment legal and social, is the first step towards prevention of sexual harassment.

Audio-Visual storytelling….in India, for Indians, by Indians

Sexual harassment at workplace has many defining points, but they are very broad classification/s for any gender’s basic understanding. Women at workplace must understand how and when she feels “not safe,” in her work space, as the harassment can range from as subtle as a smile or as gross as physical intimidation.

SH Act has made it mandatory for employers to have a Anti Sexual Harassment Policy (ICC), Conduct workshops for training and sensitization of employees, submit reports of conducting such workshops etc., These workshops include various elements to create awareness, training and sensitization, where Audio-Visual plays a very powerful medium of communication.

It is mostly noted, that, the Audio-Visuals presented in the workshops have a very western set-up, where characterization, spaces and harassment are in a different context, not related to the Indian milieu of surroundings and social context. This creates a disconnect with the audience, as it makes them feel that “this happens there, not here.”

Also, we must understand that India does not live in metro cities, but constitutes mostly of small cities and towns classified as B,C or D. Thus, the AV set-up must contain contents and set-up related to these surroundings. It also makes an easier understanding for women who have migrated for working in metros, belonging to these cities and towns.

As a Film maker working on Gender and Children based films, it is impertinent that we present audio-visual material/s related to Indian concept of – “Me & You”, instead of “Them.”

 Understanding and awareness for prevention  – Indian context

India is a land of story tellers. We like to tell and hear stories, more so that speaks to us about ourselves and then about others, thus creating a safe environment of an impactful message dissemination in the Indian context.

We must also understand that, an Indian women/ girl child are raised in a very different environment than the West. She is extremely protected (most times to the point of suffocating her freedom) by her family, mostly is sent to “all girls school and college,” is often tracked on her social engagements (friends, outings etc.,), limited knowledge of sex education, intimate liaison with male gender is not accepted as a rule (this does not include sexual intimacy at all), female vs male demarcations are very clear with latter being the preferred gender…there are many more such contexts that can be detailed.

We need to begin by creating messaging through empowering women in her work space by educating her on various terms of sexual harassment in her work space, based on her sensibilities and sensitivity of her upbringing in an Indian household – as, everything begins at home, for both genders.