The Internet is furious after a video of a woman was accused of asking a young girl to dress appropriately or she will be raped went viral. Social media sites are flooded with hate messages against this woman claimed as Soma Chakrabarty with # GetWellSoonAuntyJi.
In a-10 minute long video, young girls were seen following a woman demanding her to apologise for her misconduct and demeaning comments she passed against the girls. According to reports Shivani Gupta was at a restaurant in Gurgaon along with her friends when she was allegedly pulled up by a lady in the video for wearing a ‘short dress’. After being compelled by the girls to apologise the woman seemed adamant and said, “Hello guys, this lady wants to wear short dress, to encourage all to see them. All these ladies wear short dresses or stay naked to rape. If you’re the parents, please control the girls for their behaviour, their dresses and -speak with manners).”
In a country where over a hundred and six girls are raped every four days, off which four in ten are minors, women need to support each other. Raina Joseph, a young feminist and baker said, “I am shocked that this is coming from a “WOMAN” and it boils my blood to see that she is so adamant about the fact that she is right. In the times where we are speaking up for each other and supporting each other with campaigns like #Metoo. We have one of our own turning against us with unrealistic, disgusting and cheap comments which encourage morons out there to justify their sick thoughts and actions. Hope this doesn’t bring together and unleash more like minded fools to create”
Trying to understand the motive of such thoughts Pragnya Iyengar, a feminist and student said, “Can’t believe Instagram decided to remove the video of that lady when I posted it as my status. What a girl wears? Is her choice and nobody has the right to question her. It is because of women like her that our country will never be safe. I don’t understand how she can associate short dresses with rape where infants and bhurka clad women are also being raped. Discrimination between a girl and a boy starts from home and the only way this can be stopped is by mothers telling their sons how to behave and not telling their daughters not to wear short clothes.”
Sami Austin, mother of a one-year old boy and Copy head at a reputed Ad firm says, “In our household we teach our son equity. Where daddy can do dishes just like mommy and mommy goes on business trips too. It’s quite simple really. When a woman, a mother starts respecting herself more than anyone else she will raise a son worthy of society.
Speaking about the video she adds, “There is a reason this video has gone viral in no time. Women are tired of this misogynistic rhetoric being constantly shoved down our throats. One has to question the “culture” that elevates women to the status of Goddess and yet brings out the devil in you that you would feel the need to ask seven men to carry out the most heinous act possible against a young girl. I pity the kids she has borne and the upbringing she must have bestowed on them. God save this country.”
Understanding the situation from the perception of someone from the opposite gender, Vivian John, feminist and entrepreneur opines, “Truth is girls can wear whatever they like but you really don’t see women wearing bikinis randomly walking on the streets. Her comment about “wearing clothes like this will get you raped” is very wrong. Her free advice to the young girls was clearly based on her upbringing and narrow minded thoughts. Women wear clothes they like because it boosts their self confidence and that doesn’t mean they would get raped because of what they wear.”
Vijaya Lakshmi a mother of two girls said, “Being a mother, I would like to say wearing dresses of their choice is a pride and confidence of any girl or woman. In our Indian culture, clothes worn represent their personality. Nobody has the right to comment on anybody’s dress in public. Commenting using unethical words is not appreciated. I feel she should apologize in public as she has publically abused the girls.”
In the video we clearly see the alleged Soma was frustrated but, does this have a psychological connect? Tabinda Arif Sdq, a psychologist said, “This kind of mindset is completely dangerous in for the current scenario. If closely monitoring her attire, she doesn’t seem like she’s from an orthodox family. This could be the result of her upbringing and past events that moulded her this way. Associating short dresses with rape has no justification because it is the impact of a sick mentality.
She adds, “Of course this act is completely shameful and unacceptable by our society, especially from a woman to other women. However, this is the actual approach of people, where a girl is judged by the clothes she wears .Some people accept or not but this is harsh reality. As a counselor, I would also like to know the whole story of the lady in the video, maybe she has experienced something in past.”
