A woman who was molested by a man on a two-wheeler inside Bengaluru’s crowded IT park, Ecoworld, has come forward to share her harrowing experience, shedding light on the deep-rooted societal indifference towards such crimes.
Speaking to NDTV, the woman said she chose to speak out so that people, especially women, feel empowered to raise their voices and deny criminals a free pass. “Respecting people’s boundaries is still a big loophole in society,” she said.
‘Nobody Came to Help’
Recalling the attack that took place around 11:30 pm on Wednesday in Marathahalli, she said, “I was perplexed. I thought maybe someone was riding a vehicle recklessly. The same thing happened again, though, and with greater intensity. Then I was sure someone was doing this deliberately.”
Despite being in a bustling area, the woman received no immediate help from bystanders. “The third time… I could see the guy taking a U-turn and coming for me. I shouted for help, there were so many people, it is always a bustling area… I asked people for help, I stopped auto drivers, I stopped others… but no one came to my help, that’s the most surprising thing,” she said.
She later approached the security booth at Ecoworld and received assistance. The next day, she filed a police complaint, which is now being personally monitored by senior officers.
‘People Must Take Responsibility’
The survivor emphasized that she doesn’t see herself as a victim, and believes change must start at the individual level. “If, tomorrow, I have a son, I know what I will be teaching him. There is a typical conditioning that has infiltrated society – that men get a free pass for so many behaviours. Even women, under the pretence of feminism, have started to take a free pass for so many things. So it’s about knowing the laws and respecting them,” she explained.
She also called for these topics to be integrated into the education system, to instill awareness and respect for boundaries from a young age.
‘We Must Stop Hiding’
She underscored that the molester is the real victim of a distorted mindset. “The person who did this is the victim. Imagine how messed up he would have to be to derive a sense of control by violating someone’s boundaries to this extent. So my message to other women is: Don’t victimise yourself… You don’t need to hide behind the curtains… The person who is doing this is the one doing something wrong.”
Highlighting that the incident occurred in a well-monitored area, she stressed, “The fact that this happened in an area with so many surveillance cameras and security guards… That’s the most surprising thing, and is testimony to the fact that no matter how many safety measures we have, there is a big loophole when it comes to how people are conditioned to look at each other and towards respecting each other’s boundaries.”
With the investigation ongoing, she remains hopeful. “The investigation is on. I am keeping my fingers crossed, hoping the man gets caught. This has happened to me, and if the man gets a free pass, he can do this to others as well,” she said.
