Sitting at home is not an option. It's only when women take over the streets, will men learn a lesson

If men can roam the streets without fear, then why are women not afforded the same liberty? Photo Courtesy: Facebook/WomenInNeed

Have random aunties ever advised you to return home after sunset because it's not safe for a women to be out alone? Have you ever decided against going to party because it was little late in the evening? If you just said yes to these questions, then you'd know what we are talking about--the society's compulsion to keep us caged in order to keep us safe.

When we let society clip our wings and curb our basic freedom as a human being because we think it's actually beneficial for us, we forget that we're actually internalizing patriarchy. We become the handmaidens of patriarchy--without even realizing it.

We have been harping on incidents like the Delhi gangrape and Bengaluru mass molestation. We have been complaining about the fact that these harrowing cases of brutality show us that there are no safe spaces for women in India. But, we forget one very important thing--nothing worthwhile comes easy. And what would be more worthy of a struggle, a revolution than our freedom? A bid for equality.   

Why is why the time has come for women in India to reclaim the streets, because let's be honest:

A Woman's Place Is Not Inside The House or The Kitchen
We have always been taught that a girl should stay inside because wo ghar ki izzat hoti hai. Our society, our politicians--hell even our parents--have said the same thing. But you know what--a woman's place isn't indoors; a woman's place is everywhere. We need to fight this sexist and patriarchal mindset that tells women to be indoors to stay safe.

Women Can Create Safe Spaces For Other Women
How many times have you walked till the ladies compartment late at night, even when there were empty seats in the general's compartment? All because you didn't feel safe. Just one woman can make a whole lot of difference. Creating a safe space for ourselves is our responsibility. We are not asking you to deliberately put yourself at risk--but to just remember that seeing you travel in the general compartment or a local bus can encourage a woman like you. When one woman will step out, others will do it too--and slowly the streets won't seem as scary as they did before.

The Perpetrators Should Be Caged, Not Us
Why is that a man can loiter on the streets anytime he wants, but for a woman to do the same would mean risking her safety? Why should we cower down when all we asking for is a basic right? The society needs to cage the perpetrators, rather than the very women they prey on. When rapists and molesters walk free in the night, how can we even think about stepping outside? When our regressive society believes in caging the poor girl, it reinforces the idea that "ladke to ladke hote hai, ladkiyo ko savdhan rehna hoga". We say enough of that! Imprison the criminals, not the women. Because when you cage a woman, you don't cage her for being a victim or a survivor--you cage her for being a woman.  

Men And Women Are Equal
A woman walking alone on the streets at night is such a rare sight that when we actually step out, men take it as a sign of her willingness to be touched by an absolute stranger. But, it's not! Just like clothes or the length of one's apparel doesn't dictate their consent, similarly walking alone at night doesn't signify the woman's availability. If more women went out at night, without fear, without restrictions, it will be a normal sight--ordinary enough for men to not equate it with a woman's character.

Fighting Back Is Important
It's important that as women we understand that water is now over the bridge. We can no longer take what our patriarchal society has been teaching us. The time has come to fight back--while being careful. And the fight starts at our homes, because patriarchy begins at home. It's our responsibility to address that first. When you go out on the streets, you send out a message that the society can shove its regressive mindset up its... well... patriarchal behind.

So the next time your aunt tells you that you shouldn't go out alone and night, tell her that you can and she should do the same as well. When one of us wins, all of us win. And this time it's a war, and we will emerge victorious!