Raveena Tandon pens a powerful open letter about crimes against women in India

Ritambhara Dixit | Apr 20, 2017, 11:57 IST
Expressing her worry over the ever-increasing rape cases and how little is done to fight it, Raveena Tandon pens down a strong open letter
Raveena Tandon, who plays the role of a mother seeking justice in 'Maatr' recently penned a powerful open letter about crimes against women in India. The 'Satta' actress in a moving letter expressed her concerns over the alarming increase in the cases of violence against women in the country and how not much is being done to bring down the crime rate.

The letter reads:

Crimes in India have been on a constant rise of late. As a mother, this really scares me. Sometimes, we read about horrifying incidents in the newspapers or watch these gruesome acts being discussed on television; during such times, my worst fears begin to haunt me. As a mother, a person’s thoughts are a lot different than how they would have been otherwise.

As of today, more than 34,000 rape cases are lodged every year, which is just a minuscule fraction of incidents that have actually occurred. Because of this, I am always on my guard. My blood boils when I read about people being harmed, about young boys and girls and their helpless parents.

Dear young boys, all I can tell you is STOP. Stop objectifying women. Stop looking at them like they are some kind of commodity. Stop thinking that you’re automatically entitled to the women you see around you.

Dear young girls, my heart goes out to you. When the society fails to protect you, it is important for you to understand that it’s all in your hands now. It is time to learn to voice your grievances and fight back against the men who ogle at you, pass lewd comments, and even dare to touch you inappropriately.

And lastly, I want to address the parents. It is undoubtedly crucial to teach your daughters how to defend themselves, but it is imperative that you teach your sons not to attack in the first place. The day this happens will be the day our country is truly safe for women.

India can be a haven for women only if everyone works together towards the cause. Having said this, I urge everyone — men, women and others alike — to raise their voices against such atrocities, and work towards a safer tomorrow.

You wouldn’t want a nasty incident to happen to someone close to you, right? So, act today!


Signed,
A Worried Mother


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