A GIRL, A DREAM, A CURSE

“Stop it. Please stop it. Don’t do this. Please

leave me I request you. Don’t be so rude.
Help! Help!” She cries and cries and cries…no
one stopped.
What is happening? What is her mistake? For
what she is being tortured so? She herself
doesn’t know that. She is just declared a
whore, a slut. Her wings are cut down. Her
dreams are broken into pieces which are
pricking in her heart each and every time
reminding her of the curse she got. Her drives
and desires disappeared in the darkness of this
unsocial society.
A curse, a bitter truth that she is a girl, a
female - one of the weaker genders as define
by the societal forces. Her mistake is that she
was born as a girl which means she will do
what she is said to do. Her desires, dreams,
wishes, drive means nothing to this society.
Is this our so called independent India? Is this
our genuine society who snatches the freedom
from a particular gender? Who they are to
decide our future, our actions and our attires?
This society puts a lot of questions on our
existence as a female. They are neither free
birds nor humans in the sight of this so called
genuine society. They are just what people
considered them.
This is our society buddy, where female
harassment is a topmost crime conducted.
Rapes, domestic violence, child marriage,
female infanticide, etc. are becoming the part
of daily lifestyle of the people. Many of those
victims either survive with a tag of whore or
die with the guilt which they are unaware of.
If she lives a funky carefree and fearless life
then she is seen with the eyes of lust, greed,
indecent and intolerance. She is a whore or
slut if she has male friends, hangout with
them, wears shots, denims, and dresses, lives
her life in her own way, want to drink, smoke,
do party at nights, etc.
In childhood she is told that she is the princess
and there will be a price charming who will
hold her hands and take her to his palace. She
lives in the world of fantasy, fairy tales and
can have whatever she desire. But soon the
time comes when she put a step towards
teenage and given a trailer by this bloody
society that she is no more a princess. Being a
girl, she is taught to serve her family, society
and to make adjustments with everyone by
killing her own priorities, dreams and drives.
All of us have wings...wings like a bird to fly
high and held our head with pride. These are
the wings which are made of dreams that
everyone has in their eyes. A dream to do
world tour, a dream to marry a prince, a dream
to get a chocolate city, a dream to become
doctor, a dream to live a happy life, a dream
to…, etc. Dreams are the twinkles of our eyes
that motivate us to survive, to live. They are
just as a lifeline to live a meaningful life.
What if someone cuts down the oxygen supply
from our environment? We will die starving
for the life. Similarly a girl without a dream is
a body without a soul. You can’t decide what
she needs. Respect her guys and throw this
bloody society’s vision of cursing her for each
and everything. Let her free from the
formalities of proving that she is also a human
to be treated respectfully.
You raped, she cried. You cursed, she
requested. You stalked, she frightened. Most
probably she has to suffer a lot just because of
such unsocial elements who just for their lust
throw her pride apart. She becomes a toy to
play with. She becomes a thing in local saying
“Maal or item” to have fun with. Is she just a
puppet of your hands that whenever you want
you will and when become fed up you throw?
She dies with such a guilt which was even not
her fault. But she has to pay because she is a
girl.
After this she is no more appraised by the
society. She is the criminal of the crime which
she doesn’t commit. She is being trapped in
the darkness of the room to hide her scars
from the social critics.
Holding candles in their hands people come
out for a march asking for justice for her. One
day, two days or last ten days…what happen
does she get justice or rapists are hanged till
death? Nothing matters it lasts maximum for
two or three months after that who cares. No
one comes to know whether she want to
survive or die. If she wants to live the people
will make her die from their comments and
taunts passing them moment by moment. She
is cursed by her parents that due to her fault
they are shameful. Her fault was that she was
fashion conscious, brand conscious and lives a
carefree life. She became a prey for the
haunting lustful animals.
Rape, a demon of lust is severely under-
reported. In many parts of the world, rape is
very rarely reported, due to extreme social
stigma cast on those who have been raped, or
the fear of being disowned by their families, or
subjected to violence, including horror killing.
A United Nations statistical report compiled
from government sources showed that more
than 250,000 cases of rape or attempted rape
were recorded by police annually. The
reported data covered 65 countries.
In India, Delhi is becoming the rape capital of
the country. According to a report the number
of rapes in Delhi registered a rise in 2015,
with data suggesting an average of six cases
every day. As many as 2,095 cases of rape
were reported in 2015 till December 15.

CRIME AGAINST WOMEN (UPTO

DECEMBER 15)

Crime 2012 2013 2014 2015

 Heads
Rape 706 1,636 2,085 2,095
Molestation 727 3,515 4,182 5,192
Eve-teasing 214 916 1,282 1,444
Kidnapping 2,210 3,609 3,887 4,160
Dowry 134 144 147 119
death
POCSO - 136 104 82
Act

So we can conclude that females are not only

raped but are harassed in many ways viz.
dowry, kidnapping, eve-teasing, domestic
violence, etc.
This is not the point where the game ends.
Soon a new game starts. She wants to live a
happy independent life but soon got married to
a boy of her parents’ choice. She denied but
no one listened and said that now she has to
adjust with her in-laws in any case at any cost.
She tried but failed. She was made afraid if
she deny then she has to pay for it. She wanted
to escape but was trapped in the cage of
emotions, fears, cries and soon she became a
victim of harassment. She hanged till
death…People said she committed suicide but
no one knows it was a murder, a cold blooded
murder. They killed her just because they were
not able to make her a puppet of their hands.
This is the status of females in our society.
She can be your sister, daughter, wife,
girlfriend or mother. But no one cares until
and unless it happens with their closed ones.
They shout, they cry, they ask for justice but at
last they have to hide themselves from the
world. A number of cases are still pending. No
judgement, no decision just files moving from
one place to other seeking hands to judge
them.
“A girl, a dream, a curse…She is born as a girl.
She has a dream. But soon she realises she is
cursed by the world.”
“A girl should be like a butterfly. Pretty to see.
Hard to catch.”
Butterfly symbolises freedom of oneself. It is
blessed by god with wonderful patterns and
pretty colours on its wings. It flies and flies
from one flower to many flowers. It lives
nearly around 14-15 days of life but with pride
and freedom. So pretty and beautiful. A girl
with the wings and colours of her dreams is
pretty at brains and beautiful at heart. She can
fly with her imagination from the world of
reality to the world of fantasy. She can dream
of fairy tales and she needs at least one to
come true.
Let her live with the freedom. Let her breath.
Stop cursing. She has the right to freedom.
She is the one who can raise her voice against
unsocial beings. Raise your standards instead
of blaming her attire.
Violence against women is rooted in
discrimination and inequality, making it
challenging to address. Woman are unaware of
their rights cannot claim them.
Government and organisation without access
to standards, guidelines and tools cannot
adequately address these issues. Once
evidence accumulates and awareness spreads
the potential of stopping all forms of violence
too.
‘Shout out for Feminism’. Feminism
campaigns are generally considered to be one
of the main forces behind major historical
societal changes for women’s rights. It
effected change in particularly Western
society, including women’s suffrage; greater
access to education; more nearly equitable pay
with men; the right to initiate divorce
proceedings; the right of to make individual
decision regarding pregnancy (including
access to contraceptives and abortion); and the
right to own property. It helps in raising the
status of women in the society.
More and more feminism campaigning should
be done particularly in backward areas of the
society to make aware the women about their
rights and about their own importance in the
world.
Women should step out for the justice and
lodge FIRs against each and every crime
committed towards them. Amendments in the
Constitution should be done for granting more
laws and rights in favour of women. More and
more self-help groups, organisations, NGOs
and committees should be formed and
established to work for the welfare of women.
They should make educated. Self-defence
workshops should be conducted for free.
Various lifesaving products should be
manufactured with the view of protecting
women in case of danger and should be
supplied to each and every woman. Pepper
sprays, teasers, safety apps, sirens, etc. are the
best example of these products.
Every woman should be supported by her
family, friends and society. They should be
friendly with them. Remember she is your girl,
your mother, your wife, your daughter or your
sister. Always be ready to help them, not only
for a relation with her but for humanity.
Whenever you are the witness of such crime
immediately report it. Treat women with
dignity and respect. Raise your voice as well
as your standards.
The way a woman is dressed doesn’t tell you
if she wants to be commented on or to be seen
with a lustful sight. If she looks dressed up,
don’t assume it is to gain the admiration or
advantage of all men she sees and that you
should say something to her. Stranger rapes
and harassment are real threats for women.
Don’t assume all women are single,
heterosexual or bisexual, or interested in male
attention or in forming a relationship. Women
deserve the same right to privacy in public that
most men enjoy.
Indian law has provided special provisions in
Constitutional laws as well as in Code of
Court and several High Courts have laid down
various guidelines to support the women in
every possible way against injustice. Every
girl should be made familiar with them.
Here are some of the rights every woman
should be aware of:
Right to free aid,
Right to privacy,
Right to untimely registration,
Right to virtual complaints,
Right to zero FIR,
Right to no arrest (after sunset and
before sunrise),
Right to not being called to the police
station,
Right to confidentiality,
Right towards crime and not a medical
condition,
Right to no sexual harassment, etc.
So law is with us in many ways to protect but
a step far to go and slow to proceed. These
proceedings must be fast and at a pace to bring
down the statistics of such unlawful and
inhuman acts.
I, being a girl myself live in a misery that
whether it is a curse to be a girl or a blessing.
But I think it is you, only you who can make
your dream life come true. I shout, I cry, I
raise my voice and I know I am the heroine of
my life.
Girls, you are the main player of this game.
Just be fearless…whatever seems unusual to
you just go and shout against it. Be bold, be
free. Your prince charming is waiting for
you…You are the creator of your life. No one
can defeat you until you lose hope. These hells
will no more strong to afraid us. Dream big,
think big.
No one is above law and humanity. So just
stop! Stop! And stop! This world doesn’t have
any right to deny a girl’s freedom. They can’t
curse her for what she is. She will dress up as
per her choice. She is neither a whore nor a
slut. She is a human, a human being. Got it!

“A girl, a dream, a curse…

 A world which is so worse.
Lust, harassment and violence,
Leaving a brutal silence.
She strive, she cries
For the justice one denies.
Scars of shame,
Whom to blame.
For law and rights,
She is alone to fight.
No one cares,
But she dares.
They are rude,
Making her nude.
Killing humanity and spreading brutality,
They ask for justice and equality.
She is broken inside,
Her dreams are thrown aside.
To this world she is a puppet of few hands,
 Tied to a societal band.
Stop it! Stop it!
She is a human, not the goods for profit.”

Save a girl, save the world’s beautiful

creature. Stop harassing, start appraising.
Respect her instead of cursing her for every
shameful act being conducted in the world.
Make her dreams come true. Let her fly high.
Give her wings in form of freedom.
Appreciate her efforts and actions. And soon
the world will say “A girl, a dream, a
blessing…”

Written by:
Raksha Soni
Email: soniraksha96@gmail.com