Sexual Abuse

Abuse could have become a very frequently used term, at least in the near past. But when we try to place ourselves in the shoes of people who have undergone sexual abuse, we might end up being completely "LOST". We have been hearing a lot of cases of sexual abuse. But I am sure that the known cases are like the tip of an ice berg - only 10% of the ice is visible to the human eye. Rest is hidden.

A girl is compared to a flower - soft and sensitive. The family adorns her like a princess. They are safe and secured inside the family cocoon. And she emerges as a butterfly - colorful, attractive and free. But is she safe outside her cocoon?

In current cases, is she safe in the cocoon?

When a girl under goes such a trauma, what happens?

Molestation could be life changing - obviously in the bad sense. People who have undergone the same lose their grip on daily activity, schedules and responsibilities. All they think is about the incident. All they see the replay of the incident. All they feel is the sensation on the skin which haunts them to death. Though they have people around them, they always feel lonely. They are continuously tortured by memories of the incident.

But in spite of all these, why don't the girls open up to the people around? What stops them from doing the same?

Fear: of harsh words and taunts.
Shame: of having undergone the incident.

We can end up saying that facing such an incident wasn't their fault. But she was the one who has undergone it. She needs a helping hand to overcome this stress. But what do the people around give her?

- Blame her.
- Taunt her with harsh words complaining about her carelessness.
- Bruise her more - mentally - suggesting better ways in which she could have handled the situation.

But is this what she needs? Aren't these like adding more fuel to the fire which is actually consuming her tranquility?
Why are these incident dramatized so much?

- Is media trying to bring these into the lime light just for the sake of advertisement?
- Is the law and order handling these incidents, as they have to be?

The victim hesitates so much to open this up to her immediate family. She hardly does. Even when she does she gets weird responses from the circle. The most frequently suggested option would be to launch a complaint regarding the assault. But,

- Is that going to solve the problem?
- Is it going to ease her of the pain?
- Is it going to soothe her?
- Worst of all, will she be safe after complaining about the incident?

Let us have another perspective of these sexual assaults.

Are these assaults happening only in our country? Why are we so affected psychologically when we undergo such situations?

Will a western-woman face the same mindset when she faces such a situation? If no, then is the problem rooting down to the culture we have always been proud about?