Thread by @imbindassM

A chap, hardly 17, suddenly starts walking on the other side of the road that I was on (I was 1 min away from my house), kept muttering gibberish.
Ignored for few secs. Then turned to see him stop and stare.
Enna veno, I yell. (A marriage procession on my road- I wasn't alone)

He says, your vagina (in Tamil - the first I hear it), then unzips his pants (thank god for my poor vision - I've seen enough dicks)

I shout at him, make a police threat and say if I see him in my street again, I'd rip off his member.

I shout for the whole street to hear

My street is always bloody dark as the oldies and the miserly neighbours refuse to put on their porch lights.

Shady residential areas. Perfect for exhibitionists.

I'm proud I was able to comprehend & shout, & not ignore my instincts. Which I usually do.

This happened just mins back.

The fellow ran away. I got into my house.
But I'm bloody annoyed.

Starting from the no Ola/ Ubers on a Sunday evening ( it's not even nighttime) to this

I am still shaking. Out of anger.

I'm yelling at my mom, everybody.

To all those men (&women) who tell me: He is just looking no ma, what's the harm?

To films justifying men's right of ownership over women (you should have seen the authority with which this lad looked @ me)

To those who say this happens all the time, women need to be strong, learn self defence, and keep moving on

To them ALL - I ask: What about our psyches, folks? Do you understand trauma?

Do you even fucking understand what the other half of the human species feels/ goes through?

thanks for all the messages. I'm safe and fine.

Just keep speaking up and please, please, please yell and scream and rage and rant. Don't let anyone get away.

Shut down sexist colleagues, at patriarchal uncles, at assholes in power, at suave abusers.

Engage, don't ignore!

*sorry for typos, fellow grammar nazis - wrote in anger*

UPDATE: just filed a complaint at the police station. My first.

When I told the cops it was a sexual harassment matter, they looked WAY more freaked out than I was (with my big dupatta & press card to boot). Cop I spoke to tried making it into a 'young boy taking ganja' case.

Lady cop told me to keep my legs together (was sitting with one leg over the other) while the SENIOR MALE cop was talking.

There's a place to be a rebel - the station wasn't one.

I obeyed. Till the cop suggested that what happened to me could be chain snatching gone awry. Wth

To quote : avan pinnaadi irundhu vandhirupaan aana munnadi vandithaan (he would have come from behind to snatch a chain but somehow landed in front of me - this doesn't explain the exhibitionism but okay, whatever)

(Yenakko onnum purila - I didn't understand too)

I was however taken seriously when I told them I was a journalist. I wrote my complaint and as there was no CCTV grab of the fellow, I had to submit just my letter.

The inspector (who I met in his room) and the first cop I spoke to gave me their numbers & promised full support

I clearly told the cop the words the fellow used. Clear sexual harassment & not chain snatching 🤷.

I was treated well thanks to the press card. Shouldn't have been the case. I'm aware of my privilege. Grateful for it.

They were really nice to me, y'all. Too nice actually!

Glad I listened to a certain someone and filed a complaint braving my fear of cops and police stations (a justifiable one).

Stay strong, all of you. And thank you for all the messages. They are helping me cope and move on from what happened.
@Chinmayi

CC: @IndiaMeToo @TheLadiesFinger @Vaishnavioffl

@threadreaderapp please unroll the thread. Thanks in advance.