While the entire world discusses the pros and cons of the #MeTooIndia movement, the need of the hour is about consent, quips Chinmayi. “What do you do when the blinds are drawn? When no one is looking at you, are you making someone uncomfortable? Uncles, grandsons, fathers, grandfathers, the weight of these stories that come to me was not expected. There is nothing I can do to help them, I am just one individual. We don’t have a superhero who can swoop in and just save us all in one go, like it happens in the movies; believe me, I wish I could! Most of the time, the stories do not come out for ages because of fear. Fear of family members, fear of having to see the person again. For women, we might have a ray of hope, a support system via a friend or a sister, mother, someone from the same gender. Sadly, men don’t even have that. Where would they go? They also have the added fear of being mocked or their sexuality being questioned. There are people women can trust, some agency, but men don’t even have that. The LGBTQ community, harassment is an everyday issue. They are assaulted on the regular. How do we bring about a change? By creating a support system, a micro circle if you will. In our own community, talk about it in that safe space. Be open to listening to these stories. Spaces will become safer then. In your working space, check if Vishaka Guidelines are followed. Discuss what is casual dating, casual flirting. Where do you draw the line? We have become a frigid society. We are in a metro, we have just begun dating and assessing ourselves and our relationships. Talk about consent and what constitutes it. I dream of a day when we wouldn’t need SOS buttons in car rental apps and what not!”

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