In the wake of allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein, #MeToo has become a rallying cry against sexual harassment. Women and men have taken to social media to share their personal stories of abuse (verbal and/or physical) or simply acknowledged the fact that it happened to them by using the hashtag.

Richa Chadha has now written her thoughts on this sensitive matter in a powerful essay, making her one of the first Bollywood actresses to actually come out and talk about the difficulties women in India deal with on a daily basis.

Here are some excerpts from her article –

For a country where violence against the girl child starts in the womb, I am surprised at the number of people surprised at the enormity of the #MeToo campaign. Unless you have been in hibernation in the Himalayan caves for the past millennium, there’s no way you would not know that sexual assault- verbal or visual, and gender violence are the rites of passage for the average Indian girl.

Each time we are outraged at a woman’s modesty being outraged, a slew of insensitive, irresponsible and downright moronic comments echo from all quarters of our political leadership. Governments change but the attitude doesn’t. Bhaktroll or Libtard, Right or Left, sexism is the one thing that unites our leaders cutting across barriers of region, religion, caste and class. Why don’t we start a new party called United Sexist Front – a revolutionary re-imagining of governments and the opposition. Women can join it too and then everyone can watch porn in the Parliament with glee.

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.

Hope we heal.

Read the entire essay here.