mid day editorial: Condemn all violence, be it by men or women

On the one hand, we have women finally coming forward with horror stories of sexual harassment and are calling out the perpetrators. And, on the other, we hear stories of women abusing their position and gender. It is time to realise that both situations are unacceptable; both are forms of abuse.

Recently, there were reports about an inebriated woman who attacked a security guard in her building after he refused to get her a packet of cigarettes. She hit the guard, and then refused to go to the police station as there was no woman in the police team that arrived to get her. She then had an altercation with the cops, tore off her clothes in a fit of rage and attacked yet another guard.

This behaviour is inexcusable. While she was within her rights to refuse to go to the police station with an all-male team, thrashing guards is breaking the law. She cannot take off her clothes as intimidation and blackmail. She cannot use molestation or harassment as a pretext if that has not occurred.

First of all, several residents in buildings have a propensity to ask security guards to run errands for them. From buying bread to cigarettes, from asking them to carry or mail parcels, it is wrong to ask security personnel to do your personal chores. They are supposed to provide security to the building residents, stand guard at the gates. They are not supposed to do chores, however lavish a 'tip' they may get.

The woman should not have thrashed the guards. We are quick to condemn violence when it comes to a man beating up a woman. This incident needs to be condemned, too, with the same alacrity and in just as strong words.

Keep the building's safety a priority, and do away with such high-handedness and violent behaviour, whether by man or woman.

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