On a daily basis we come across flashing headlines about sexual harassment inflicted upon women. No matter how small the incident may be, it is disturbing enough to scar a woman forever. The writer herself has been a victim of sexual assault. She was taken by shock when a man started masturbating in broad daylight in one of the busy lanes of Mumbai. With a numbing mind too panicked to react, all she could manage to do was look in some other direction and pace up to quickly pass by the perpetrator. It has been over 6 months since the incident and the writer still avoids taking that lane. There is a constant fear that the man might turn up again. This is the reality of every other woman today. 

Coping with an incident of sexual harassment or assault is a long process that can take months and even years. Sadly, women are often expected to ‘get over it,’ or ‘move on,’ by their immediate circle of family and friends.