TOI: Travelling in DTC bus not easy-Sakshi

Delhi-girl Saakshi Tanwar spoke about the first time she had to deal with Molestation in Delhi at an event in Mumbai held to launch a new global movement called One Billion Rising in the presence of women's right activist and authorEve Ensler who wrote Vagina Monologues.

She said, "I was 14 when I came to know what molestation is. DTC bus mein travel karna bahaut himmat ka kaam hai. I remember the first time it happened, I came home and I was crying. My mom and sister sat me down and asked me why I was crying. They asked me, why didn't I speak out when the man acted fresh with me. They asked meusko mara kyun nahi, chilayi kyun nahi? But I had no clue how to handle such an incident till then. I had no knowledge about it. They told me, come what may you have to speak out and take a stand."

Saakshi adds further, "After this incident, I never hesitated to speak up if anyone tried to misbehave with me. But that was because my family supported me. Often it's the family that tells the girl to 'mind her ways'. They feel it's the girl's fault that she was out. Most families tell the girl to turn a blind eye if someone eve teases them. Girls are asked to change the road they take, the way they dress and their timings. That's definitely not the way to deal with the issue."