We learn good and bad touch with first-hand experience, not sex education: Richa Chadha on #MeToo

At a time when the "Me Too" campaign under the hashtag #MeToo has become a rage with scores of Indian women speaking about sexual harassment, Bollywood actress Richa Chadha has now spoken on the issue.

The "Me Too" movement has become very popular on social media, and people are shocked as well as surprised to see that almost every girl in this country has faced sexual harassment in some form at least once in their lifetime.

Highlighting this fact in her blog, Richa raised some very pertinent questions, targeting politicians, the judiciary, social mindset and fellow human beings.

In a long and detailed blog, the actress said: "Are you human and hence born from a woman? How are you not embarrassed ? This is not a problem, it's an unfolding tragedy and an everlasting nightmare."

She also said most Indian children come to know about "good and bad touch" from first-hand experience, and not through sex education.

Richa has received praised for her words, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor sharing her blog on Twitter and hailing her.

"superb, impassioned & deeply-felt blog by @RichaChadha on the #MeToo campaign, [sic]" he tweeted.

Here are some highlights from Richa's blog on the #MeToo campaign:

What was she wearing? Why was she out so late? What was she doing with a boy? She asked for it. Why didn't she report it sooner? What took so long? Why didn't she just request them not to? What did she expect?"
When our leaders ask these questions, the media plays them on a loop and people listen.

Do folks that pose questions such as these ever read the paper? Do they know that infants are raped in India, as are grandmothers? Pre-teen girls are molested, as are women covered from head to toe in a burqa.
We are afflicted with a sickness that's a larger problem than patriarchy. A sickness borne out of perverse conditioning, struggle for power and viewing the woman as a thing to be abused and disposed. There exist tips on how to deal with ongoing rape. If this doesn't reflect the horrific state of affairs, what does?

When someone does live to tell the tale, its their image that's blurred and identity protected. Not surprising, given the burden of shame society bestows.

Why not shame the oppressor? Should he be behind bars or ever get a job again? Should he be allowed to function normally in society after paying off settlements? And again how about the very investigation of rape? In this prevalent culture of victim shaming, does it get easy or more painful to report a gender crime?
If half of the population is hugely disadvantaged one way or another, how will India EVER be a superpower?
Are you an #Indian? How are you not worried?
Dear legislative bodies, please check for rapists in your midst?

Dear Judiciary, marital rape is rape. And victims shouldn't be asked to marry their rapists. Also, please hurry. A woman is raped every twenty minutes in this country, and that's just those that have the courage and means to report the crime.

In addition to the omnipresent everyday sexism, experiencing first-hand sexual assault is the tax women have had to pay for centuries to live in India.

Should it be this way? Shouldn't we all be ashamed?

I agree with #NOTALLMEN. Surely, not all men are the problem here, many are part of the solution. That's what keeps the world going. There are patriarchal women that participate in their own subjugation and feminist men who point it out.

Not all men, but #ALLWOMEN I know have experienced gender violence or molestation one way or another. This shouldn't it be the only way of life women know.
Are you human and hence born from a woman? How are you not embarrassed ?

This is not a problem, it's an unfolding tragedy and an everlasting nightmare. Click here to read the full blog.