Brave

“Teenagers… you know this age. They’re unsure and confused about these things”, says the head of the organization who says his first priority is the safety and security of the students. “They try to seek attention.”

“Are you sure?” asks a mother to her 11-year old daughter when she tells she’s been touched by her father at the wrong places.

“Why would he look at you that way? He’s a father to two children of our age.” says her abusive brother to her as a later argument to her snap at the driver “you may look in the front now, for a change.” who was staring at her through the rear- view mirrors.

“You must’ve done something that made him go that wild.’ says the mother of an abusive son to her abused niece. Her mother listens silently. When she asks her mother why she didn’t speak anything in return, she says in agony, “because he is my nephew”. “Then, am I nothing to her?” asks the daughter to herself.

This is the society. And these are the perfect representatives of the society who is programmed to curb the voices, the self- belief and self- respect of women at an early age. All this to safeguard the system, the face of the school, the home, the society as an organization, the respect of the father, the family bond, the esteem of the brothers, and even the drivers whenever they can- at the cost of the honor, the most revered and chased after virginity of their girls.

It may seem all these safeguards of the society have won and are winning for decades. But…

She is Brave. She is Confident. Yes. Her reality is something you’d decide to not to validate. You won’t believe her eyes. You won’t believe her heartbeat. You might be able to identify with her self- doubt and insecurity if you want. But you won’t want to. Coz’ you don’t care; although she’s you. Or it may be just because she’s you. Or worse, probably, you’re no more her. You are the organization. You have ‘become’ the organization, the society that you dreaded once… one that killed you. You just care for the well- being and safety of your organization. And you care for it so much so as to allow her abuser to continue his association with the organization just as much as before. You’ll take every bit of care to ensure your organization is not exposed to the legal procedures; coz’ that’s what you care about and that’s how you define maturity.

However, despite that she knows her reality and it has been validated. She’ll soon believe in its validity. That’s what will help her grow. That’s what will make her stronger, and help her grow independent. She’s bruised, she’s abused. She’s brave. She’s confident. She believes in herself. She’s Shefali. She’s Rudrani. She’s Maria. She’s her. She might be you. She’s what you name her. But she’s not what they want her to be. She can grow out of it. She’ll grow out of their systems, their games- their manipulations.

SHE IS MEANT TO BE HERSELF. SHE CAN BE HERSELF. SHE WILL BE HERSELF WHEN SHE CHOOSES TO BE… HER SELF.