Tue, 16 Apr, 2024

That Day... She Regretted Being a Girl

By Barsha Dahal

She had a dream. She loved to smile. She seemed so happy, but until that day. That day, her dreams went off track. She was raped. She could not go anywhere because she was raped. She had to face terrible questions. She could not smile because the reason of her smile was lost somewhere. How can she now think about living a free life? How can that girl be happy again? She still hasn’t been given justice. Why? People think, "Maybe, she was never raped. She may be trying to get attention. Why should anyone believe her?" Doctors are taught that raped victims may accuse them for raping so they have to be aware of such girls. Arghhh... Oh! Society and doctors, enough is enough! I was just watching the episode “Fighting Rape” of Satyamev Jayate on YouTube.  It was about rape victims. I was shocked to know the dark beliefs of society, government, and police and so called life saviors – doctors. This show was talking about India but this story may be the realities of many girls in developing and developed countries like Nepal, Pakistan, India and so on. If a girl is raped, she becomes a victim. Her body is tortured, she becomes impure. Her life is shattered, she is now aimless. Somebody’s son or your husband raped a girl or woman. Now, the spine-chilling story begins. Her life is ruined. Her smile is lost. But, what about your son or husband? Is your husband still living with you and your family after destroying her life? You forgave him, why? Just because he is your son or your darling husband? What about that girl? He has killed her emotions, trust and hope. Finally, this great society wants to help that girl but by the words of sympathy. If that girl tries to fight back then these types of questions are asked by police, “Oh! Then you were raped? What did he do exactly? Where did he touch you? Did it hurt?” It’s really demeaning, her soul is already smashed, now what do you want? Do you want to wreck her down as those criminals had done? Hey government, you call this justice? She will never trust the system of her country again. A girl is raped and she wants to fight for herself but these kinds of questions will torture and rape her time and again. You may not know there are some women who were raped 20 years ago but still their criminals are somewhere uncaught, living their life happily. Unbelievable! Some wild animals came in their life and scotched their happiness but they are living their life without any remorse and shame. How can anyone tolerate this? Was that her fault to be a girl? Was that her mistake to go to school that day? Was that her sin to return back home after office? Was that her flaw even to get noticed by those savage inhuman creatures? I was traumatized when I heard that even in hospitals, raped victims are treated in the worst way. Victim is crying loud with pain. Then, doctors come in front of her and begin to study her body. Senior doctors tell their juniors, “Look! This is how raped patients should be treated. Don’t give her painkillers. At first, study her body. Is she bleeding? Can you see some scratches in her body?” Now tell me, won’t that girl take those doctors as the next criminals who are going to rape her body again in the name of experimentation? What the hell is happening on this planet? Sometimes I ask myself where I am. I am a girl. Should I be proud or should I ask my parents why they gave birth to a girl? Why do these types of crimes happen in our country, our world? How can we sleep every night like we are in heaven? Those screams, those cries, those heart rending stories are the truth of our world but we are relaxing as if nothing has happened. Our sisters are getting raped and we are silent. Whom are we waiting for, government, police, society? Don’t be stupid; they will again ignore those stories as they've been always doing so. Many girls killed themselves because they felt somewhere that it was their fault. This society compelled them to believe that. If a girl is raped, society says to her, “Your virginity is lost. You’re now impure. Who will marry you?” Oh lord! How can this society be so cruel? Why can't people understand, a girl is not the one to be blamed. When they need moral and emotional support, everyone questions them. Even if she wants to live, she has to hide her identity. She has to hide that she was raped, but why? Somebody raped her, that person should be ashamed of himself not the girl. If I am raped then I am not the perpetrator the rapist is. If law cannot give me justice and if that person is still living freely then I will snatch his life. I should have the right to kill him. If I shoot him, will I be a criminal? I don’t think so. He was a criminal, society was wrong and the law itself played a role of villain. I was innocent. After watching that show, I couldn't control my tears. I am living in this kind of world and still I have no guts to change it. Today I may be the only person but tomorrow others will feel the way I am feeling. They have to if they are humans. But still why am I not able to take any steps? I was constantly asking this to myself. And finally I heard a voice inside me. One day I will. Even if I cannot change the world, I will at least light a single bright candle of hope that will one day lighten million candles. I will tell them, “Even if you are raped, let it go. That person lost the chance to be human anymore but you haven’t lost anything. Never forget, you are not the one to be blamed. You are the one to be trusted, loved and respected. Your body was touched not your soul. You were, are and will be pure forever. Those pieces of shit cannot destroy you. Fight for your justice and always stay happy. Yeah.. Life is beautiful! :)”