Celina Jaitly, the former Indian actress and UN human rights activist has made a startling revelation about her experiences with sexual harassment, shedding light on the troubling issue of victim-blaming.
In a recent social media post, Jaitly shared harrowing personal accounts from her past, illustrating how societal attitudes have wrongfully placed blame on victims.
In her detailed post, Jaitly described two distressing incidents from her childhood and teenage years. She recounted being harassed by boys from a nearby university who would follow her school rickshaw, making catcalls and eventually throwing stones at her. Despite the clear harassment, a teacher told her it was her fault for being “too Westernized” and not conforming to traditional dress codes.
Jaitly wrote, “In this photo, I was in 6th grade when boys from a nearby university started to wait outside my school. They followed the school rickshaw, making catcalls all the way home every day. When I pretended not to notice, they began throwing stones at me in the middle of the road to get my attention. Not one bystander intervened. A teacher blamed me, saying it was because I was ‘too westernized’ and did not dress traditionally. This incident made me blame myself for years.”
She also shared a traumatic experience from high school, where boys damaged her scooty and left lewd notes because she refused to acknowledge them. Her teacher once again blamed her for being “forward” due to her choice of clothing and hairstyle. Jaitly recalled, “In 11th grade, they cut the wire of my scooty’s brakes, causing me to jump off to save myself. I was physically and psychologically hurt, yet it was still my fault according to my teacher.”
Additionally, Jaitly highlighted how her grandfather, a retired Colonel who had fought in two wars, faced derogatory comments while escorting her to school. “My grandfather, who served our country, had to escort me because of the harassment. The boys even mocked him. His disgust at the situation was palpable as he walked away with me. It’s time we stand up for our right to be protected. WE ARE NOT AT FAULT!”
Jaitly’s revelations emphasize the urgent need to confront victim-blaming and advocate for stronger protections and support for victims of harassment and abuse.
