Shenaz Treasury’s open letter to India's power men

#ShehnazTreasurywala sends out a desperate plea for action towards stirring change in order to keep the daughters of their nation safe and secure. In an open letter to the most powerful men in our country, who are viewed as opinion leaders and role models. She shares instances of harassment from her childhood, and how the anger refuses to alienate her until today. In this letter, that has been widely published, she makes it clear that women must not see it as their shame. She asserts men who refuse to pledge themselves to the cause should be the ones ashamed.

Here are excerpts from the open letter:

Dear Narendra Modi, Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin Tendulkar, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aamir Khan and Anil Ambani,

I am writing to YOU specifically because you are the most powerful and influential MEN in our country. I am writing to you as a woman who grew up in a middle class family in Mumbai. I am writing to YOU for HELP!

My first experience with the opposite sex, was when I was just 13 and groped by a man (never saw his face but will never forget his hand) while walking in the vegetable market with my mom in her dress. How I hate that dress! As if, it was the dress’s fault. I still remember the dirty feeling I had and the number of times I showered in my grand-mom’s bathroom after. That feeling never went away.

I took trains and buses like most Indian women to get to college, and I was groped several times. As a teenager I would dream I had a machine gun and could kill all the men who tried to grope me. A very disturbing dream for a kid, don’t you think?

I developed ways to defend myself, I always carried a bag in front of me, my fist was always clenched. I slapped many men, too. My mom begged me not to pick fights with men who touched me because she was afraid that somebody someday would hurt me badly. Today she told me not to take an Uber to my meeting tomorrow. BAN UBER! Make everyone take responsibility for this.

On my sister’s first day to Sophia College, a man put his hand inside her Tee-shirt throughout the bus ride. She just froze. I was LIVID. I’m sorry sis for telling the world this, please don’t stop speaking to me. IT’S NOT Our Shame. It’s THEIRS!

One of my friends in college was RAPED on the train on her way home to Bandra in an empty ladies first class compartment. She was just 16. This she felt was her shame so she did not say anything to anyone. BUT IT ISN’T HER SHAME, it’s THEIR SHAME.

My mom accompanied me to Hyderabad on a shoot where a cyclist groped HER. My dear respected and lovely MOM. No city is safe, not even Bombay. I still fear getting raped on my walks back home at night. I’d still like that machine gun.

Sorry Mom, IT’S NOT Our Shame, It’s THEIR SHAME. Let’s make this our MOTTO- It’s not OUR SHAME, it’s THEIR SHAME. Who are “THEY”? “THEY” ARE THE MEN IN OUR COUNTRY.

Not just the rapists and the sexual offenders and gropers but also our Fathers (sorry dad) and Uncles and Brothers and MOVIE STARS AND CRICKETERS AND POLITICIANS for not SAVING US or PROTECTING US by insisting and protesting for the LAWS TO CHANGE and Rapists and Gropers to BE PUNISHED SEVERELY!

What good are all your speeches in the US or Japan or AUSTRALIA- NAMO, if no woman can walk freely in the streets even in broad daylight by herself in the CAPITAL OF OUR COUNTRY. Isn’t this a SHAME? SHAME ON YOU SIR.

Here >

This is a SHAME. And it’s YOUR SHAME. You are now RESPONSIBLE FOR US. SHAME and PUNISH THE Gropers and Sexual offenders severely. KILL THE RAPISTS.

I won’t ask for public castration, as the verdict will take forever. I strongly support the death penalty, or AT LEAST LIFE IMPRISONMENT.

Why was this man who had raped twice before out on bail? And then given a drivers license?

Superstars I beg you, please take a stand- do something drastic so people take notice. Imagine Amitabh Bachchan Sir, Aamir Khan, Salmaan Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Ambani (you are the men with power)- if you went on a fast or walked to the Rashrtrapati In Delhi. If you, took this stand, how much change there would be?! SAVE US! Please demand the Death Sentence for the Rapists.

Why should we as women feel so unsafe in our motherland?! Any man who even touches a woman should be imprisoned for life. Be strict, SCARE THEM BY MAKING AN EXAMPLE OUT OF THEM. SAVE US, save your mother, daughter, sister please! This is NOT OUR SHAME. THIS IS YOURS. Don’t sleep till you SAVE YOUR WOMEN!

With all respect,

#ShehnazTreasurywala