I am a woman and a mother of a 9 year old girl and the recent Bengaluru mass molestation incident  and other cities has really made me very angry and worried .Women safety has become a matter of joke with such atrocities are increasing by the day . What is wrong with men ? Why are they stooping so low and resorting to such heinous crimes against women. The law and order too is not as it should actually be. People are really not afraid of the law and the government needs to work towards making stricter laws especially against crimes like molestation and rape. The time has come to empower our self !

However as a woman I think it’s about time that women should start working towards their own safety and security . Why depend on others when you can empower yourself . And as it is we live in a society where not many come forward and help when required . The horrific CCTV camera footage that has been flashed over on all channels wherein a single woman returning home gets molested by 3 men clearly shows a few people viewing the incident as mute spectators . Sadly, this is the truth .People either don’t want to get into trouble or are too scared to stand up against such crimes . So now it is for the women to do the needful and become equipped for their own security.

I have a daughter too and I am being honest here when I say that I am scared for her. One never knows what the child might be subjected to even when she is off to school . Incidents of molestation and rape are prevalent in schools too. However, I have not let my fear overpower me . Instead I decided to empower my daughter . I have clearly explained and taught her about good touch and bad touch and what needs to done if someone tries to touch he inappropriately . She has also be advised not to talk to strangers or go to secluded areas in the schools. Gone are the days when parents were not comfortable talking to their children about all this. With the rising crime rate it is the responsibility of the parents to educate their children about what is right or wrong. Children these days have access to a lot of information, be it via movies , TV or the internet  and there a possibility of them grasping some wrong information . So I feel it is better that parents should talk to them and share the relevant information in accordance to their age.

Being a girl’s mother I am often advised to put her into some activity classes like dancing, singing or painting .Well I think currently the need is to get our daughters trained in self-defense. So, Taekwondo it is for my daughter . If she learns this martial art form, she would be well equipped to take care of her own safety if need arises . The time has come to make our daughters strong both mentally and physically so that no one can take advantage of them at any stage .

Our safety is in our own hands and we should do whatever we can for the same. There are also some products available in the market that have been created for the safety and security of women . Pepper sprays , safety knives and safety alarms are some of the gadgets that women should use . It is horrific to see incidents of atrocities against women and I can’t imagine the pain and trauma the women who are subjected to this go through . Empowering women and children to take care of their own safety is the need of the hour and the same should start from one’s own home.

This article was previously published on Safetykart.

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