Its
Not Our Shame, Its Your Shame Says Shenaz Treasurywala to PM Modi
Actress Shenaz Treasurywala has written an open letter to PMNarendra Modi, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh
Khan, Aamir Khan, and Anil Ambani appealing against rapes in India.
Here is
the letter
Dear Narendra Modi, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh
Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Anil Ambani,
I am
writing to YOU specifically because you are the most powerful and influential
MEN in our country.
I am
writing to you as a woman who grew up in a middle class family in Mumbai.
I am writing to YOU for HELP!
My parents may not like me saying this. I apologize to them if
they are reading but this is NOT MY SHAME. It’s THIER SHAME.
My first
experience with the opposite sex, was when I was just 13 and groped by a man
(never saw his face but will never forget his hand) while walking in the
vegetable market with my mom. She had just given me the worst haircut and as an
angry teenager I was upset at her and was lagging behind as she walked ahead. I
still remember what I was wearing. It was her dress, mustard with flowers and
little bow in the front. How I hate that dress! As if, it was the dress’s
fault.
I was
shocked at first. Speechless. He disappeared. I just stood there. Tears started
pouring out of my innocent eyes. I told my mom who went mad screaming in the
market but who knew where that man disappeared to. I still remember the dirty
feeling I had and the number of times I showered in my grand-mom’s bathroom
after. That feeling never went away.
Since
then it was non-stop. I would try to articulate this to my parents and while my
mom understood, my dad and uncles told me I was imagining it. Maybe they just
couldn’t deal with it. CAN YOU?
When I
was 15, I started going by train and bus to St. Xaviers’ College. I was groped
and touched and from all angles and this was just how I grew up. Not Just Me
but MOST INDIAN WOMEN who don’t have the luxury of cars and drivers.
As a teenager I would dream of and still sometimes dream that I
had a machine gun and could kill all the men who tried to grope me. A very
disturbing dream for a kid, don’t you think?
I got my
first assignment as a model in the FYJC and I had to go to screen-tests
straight from college. So I had to dress nice, didn’t make it any easier. I
specifically remember the time I went for an audition in a red body suit and a
black long skirt with slits. It was HELL! I never wore that again. As if it was
the dress’s fault.
I developed ways to defend myself, I always carried a bag in front
of me, my fist was always clenched, I always turned around every 20 seconds to
check who was behind me and a few times I slapped men who touched me, I got
slapped back many times too. Sometimes saved by the public, MOST TIMES NOT.
My mom begged me not to pick fights with men who touched me, she was
afraid of acid being thrown at me or that somebody someday would hurt me badly.
She is STILL AFRAID and today she told me not to take an UBER to my meeting
tomorrow. Hell ya. BAN UBER! Make everyone take responsibility for this.
My
sister got into Sophia’s college, we were all excited. She went by bus but the
first day she came home, she sobbed traumatized. A man had put his hand in her
tee-shirt through her sleeve, the entire bus ride. She just froze. She was a
kid too and wasn’t equipped to even understand this. I was LIVID. I’m sorry sis
for telling the world this, please don’t stop speaking to me. IT’S NOT Our
Shame. It’s THEIRS!
One of
my friends in college was RAPED on the train on her way home in the ladies
compartment. She was sick and was going home in the 11:15 break. There was
nobody in the first class compartment going back to Bandra at that time, it was
a superfast meaning it didn’t stop at most stations. He raped her and then
jumped off after using her scrunchy (hair tie) to wipe himself. She was the
only one on the train and had to limp her way back to her home in Bandra,
bleeding profusely. She was just 16. This
she felt was her shame so she did not say anything to anyone.
BUT IT ISN’T HER SHAME, it’s THEIR SHAME.
My mom
accompanied me to Hyderabad on a shoot once. In churi bazaar, a cyclist groped
My MOM. My dear respected and lovely MOM.
Sorry Mom, IT’S NOT Our Shame, It’s THEIR SHAME.
Why am I
telling you my personal story?
Well
first I want all women to Speak Up.
Let’s
make this our MOTTO-
It’s not
OUR SHAME, it’s THEIR SHAME.
Who are “THEY”?
“THEY” ARE THE MEN IN OUR COUNTRY.
Not just
the rapists and the sexual offenders and gropers but also our Fathers (sorry
dad) and Uncles and Brothers and MOVIE STARS AND CRICKETERS AND POLITICIANS for
not SAVING US or PROTECTING US by insisting and protesting for the LAWS TO
CHANGE and Rapists and Gropers to BE PUNISHED SEVERELY!
Why do
we as women have to feel so threatened? WHY has there been no severe action
taken? This has gone on for years now. Not just in Delhi but all over our
country and yes even in BOMBAY OR MUMBAI OR Whatever the hell you want to call
it! It’s NOT SAFE. NO!
My biggest fear ever since I was kid and even today when I walk
back home at night from yoga or when I take a rickshaw from a friend’s home is
being RAPED. I still feel that fear. I am still am on guard. I still fantasize
of having that MACHINE GUN.
In the
past 4 years I have been living and working half in India and half in New York
and let me tell you I have walked the streets of Harlem, the Bronx and Brooklyn
(perceived as the most dangerous in NYC) at 3 am after parties in short skirts
and felt safer than I feel in Bandra at 10 pm on a quiet road fully covered.
WHY??
Let’s
talk about Delhi our Capital. I was there 2 days ago and the day of the rape. I
wanted to go out and walk by India Gate and admire our great monuments but
could I?! Why??
What good are all your speeches in the US or Japan or AUSTRALIA-
NAMO, if no woman can walk freely in the streets even in broad daylight by
herself in the CAPITAL OF OUR COUNTRY. Isn’t this a SHAME? SHAME ON YOU SIR.
This is
our NO 1 issue. FIX THIS before anything else.
This is a SHAME. And it’s YOUR SHAME. You are now RESPONSIBLE FOR
US.
I beg
all of you fine gentlemen that I have addressed to help change the LAW.
You are
powerful men. I say, SHAME and PUNISH THE Gropers and Sexual offenders
severely. KILL THE RAPISTS.
I won’t
ask for public castration which is what I want and all the women want because I
know this is unrealistic and things move SO DAMN SLOW in our FINE NATION.
All I
ask for is the -Death Penalty Please. NOW! QUICK!
If
that’s too hard or will take too long then at least LIFE IMPRISONMENT.
Put them
away forever.
Why was
this man who had raped twice before out on bail?
And then
given a drivers license? YES, BAN UBER TOO. Make everyone responsible.
I’m ready to do anything. I’m not a big enough celeb but you Sachin
Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Sharukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Anil Ambani
SIRS- need to speak up as MEN ( you are the men with the power)
SAVE US!
Please
demand the Death Sentence for the Rapists.
NO BAIL.
Just Death.
Superstars
I beg you, please take a stand. Use your Superstardom and Power and MONEY and
save the women of our country. SAVE US!
I urge
you to protest or go on a fast or do something DRASTIC so people take notice,
the government wakes up and CHANGES the LAW so these men are terrified to touch
us.
Death to
rapists. No bail. Just death.
Imagine Amitabh Bachchan Sir, Aamir Khan, Salmaan Khan, Sachin
Tendulkar, Anil Ambani- if you went on a fast or walked to the Rashrtrapati In
Delhi. If you, took this stand and made this YOUR NO 1 issue, how much change
there would be?!
Why
should we as women feel so unsafe in our motherland?!
Why
should we as women be terrified and on guard all the time.
Why was
this man out on bail after committed two rapes already ?
Make an
Example Of Him.
Any man
who even touches a woman should be imprisoned for life.
Be
strict, make examples of these men, scare those who dare to touch us.
SCARE
THEM BY MAKING AN EXAMPLE OUT OF THEM.
SAVE US,
Save your mother, daughter, sister please!
This is NOT OUR SHAME.
THIS IS
YOURS.
SHAME ON
YOU.
Don’t
sleep till you- SAVE YOUR WOMEN!
With all respect,
Shenaz Treasury
Pasted
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