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Recalling the attack, the woman said she was walking in the bustling IT Park area of Marathahalli around 11.30 pm, when she felt she had been hit in the back
The woman said she was walking in the bustling IT Park area of Marathahalli around 11.30 pm, when she was attacked. (Image for representation: News18)
The woman, who was allegedly molested by a man on a two-wheeler in a crowded area in Bengaluru, has said she stopped people and shouted for help but no one came forward.
Recalling the attack, the woman said she was walking in the bustling IT Park area of Marathahalli around 11.30 pm, when she felt she had been hit in the back.
“I was perplexed. I thought maybe someone was riding a vehicle recklessly. The same thing happened again, though, and with greater intensity. Then I was sure someone was doing this deliberately,” she told NDTV. “The third time… I could see the guy taking a U-turn and coming for me. I shouted for help, there were so many people, it is always a bustling area… I asked people for help, I stopped auto drivers, I stopped others… but no one came to my help, that’s the most surprising thing.”
The incident took place on the evening of April 30. Bengaluru police have registered a case against the unidentified person under sections 74 (offence of assault on a woman) and 78 (stalking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). An investigation is on to identify and catch the accused.
According to news agency ANI, Whitefield DCP Shivakumar said the incident occurred at around 11.40 pm when the complainant was walking near the Eco World gate. An unknown individual approached her from behind on a two-wheeler and hit her with his hand before speeding away.
She told NDTV that she has come forward to talk about her experience because she wants women and others to raise their voice against such crimes so that perpetrators do not go unpunished.
‘HOPING HE GETS CAUGHT’
Talking about the stigma attached to women survivors of sexual assault, the woman pointed out that respect for people’s space is still a major loophole in society. She said she was assisted by security personnel at a booth in Ecoworld, and lodged a formal police complaint on Thursday (May 1).
“The investigation is on. I am keeping my fingers crossed, hoping the man gets caught. This has happened to me, and if the man gets a free pass, he can do this to others as well,” she was quoted by NDTV.
She further said now she knows how to deal with such a situation and will be more alert in future. She added that taking responsibility for your own safety and changing your mindset can also bring about a change in society.
“If, tomorrow, I have a son, I know what I will be teaching him. There is a typical conditioning that has infiltrated society – that men get a free pass for so many behaviours. Even women, under the pretence of feminism, have started to take a free pass for so many things. So it’s about knowing the laws and respecting them,” she was quoted as saying.
The woman also said she does not see herself or other women survivors of such crimes as victims. “The person who did this is the victim. Imagine how messed up he would have to be to derive a sense of control by violating someone’s boundaries to this extent. So my message to other women is: Don’t victimise yourself… You don’t need to hide behind the curtains… The person who is doing this is the one doing something wrong,” she was quoted.
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