Your Truth Does Not Exists!!
In many developing countries such as India and Africa, women often face severe discrimination and humiliation for even minor mistakes. This oppressive environment discourages women from making bold decisions. Additionally, women frequently criticize each other based on appearance, style, skin color, and behavior instead of supporting one another. My understanding of this issue deepened during a visit to these regions last August, which left me both disgusted and astonished.
One particular incident that occurred near my hotel profoundly affected me. A young girl, known for her beauty and outspoken nature, lost her parents a few years ago and was raised by her grandmother. Since there was no male support in their family (grand father died long ago) she was harrased sexually multiple times and society blamed her for her dressing style and wearing makeup.. Despite their poverty, her grandmother invested all her resources into the girl’s education. The girl had a boyfriend at her university, who was addicted to drinking alcohol. But after their breakup, she faced relentless societal taunting. Unable to bear the humiliation, she made a drastic decision.
In her distress, the girl told her grandmother that she had been kidnapped, not to demand ransom but to escape her tormentors and find peace. Her terrified grandmother reported the kidnapping to the police. The police, in their investigation, resorted to beating the cab driver and others to extract information about the girl’s whereabouts, but no one knew anything. Eventually, they tracked her through her phone, and she confessed the truth.
I hoped the authorities would offer her counseling or help her and her grandmother relocate for a fresh start. Instead, the police verbally abused the grandmother for raising a “stupid” girl, and the cab driver threatened to kill her for causing him trouble. With no male family members to protect them, the girl and her grandmother were left utterly terrified. Amidst this chaos, the girl, unable to cope with the relentless torment for years, committed suicide.
The aftermath was heartbreaking. The community mocked the girl and her grandmother, labeling the grandmother as bad luck and incapable of raising a child. Men laughed while recounting the story to their families, and no woman stepped forward to express sympathy or support. Instead, the community continued to mock the bereaved grandmother, now left alone and devastated.
This incident is just one of many, showing the deep problems of gender discrimination and lack of support for women. To prevent such tragedies and improve our society, I want to ask you:
What do you think went wrong here? How can we fix these issues and make positive changes?
By reflecting on these questions and working together, we can create a more equitable and supportive society for everyone. Your thoughts and suggestions are important in this effort.