It was almost 11pm; I was walking down the streets.
Afraid and shaking, worried that my clothes were too revealing.
My heart got numb as I heard his footsteps behind me.
I didn't even dare to turn around. I took off my heels and started walking as fast as I could.
Cause mom always said“if you see a strange man following you, you go to the other side of the street and remember if they grab you scream.”
I tried to do as she said but it was too late.
I looked around and I was surrounded by 3 men.
I tried to run away but I was too weak in front of them.
They pushed me towards the wall and touched my hips.
I pleaded them to stop but to them ‘no’ meant ‘yes’.
They unzipped my dress and you don't need to know the rest.
To them I was just a toy and guess their biggest achievement in life was that they were born in the body of a boy.
I grabbed my dress and headed home.
I took multiple showers wishing for the pain to wash away.
Those screams were running in my head as I lay in bed.
“Four-year-old Girl Raped by Teenager in Rampur” said the newspaper headlines today.
Each day almost 6 rape cases are recorded in our country.
The unheard screams and the silent tears, you tell me to forget it and I'll be fine but I'm not.
I was the one whom he forced that night.
I was the one whose wrist he grabbed so that I couldn't move.
I was the one who felt the pain and not you so why would you understand right?
Rape is the only crime where the victim itself gets blamed.
But you need to understand that it wasn't my choice.
I wasn't asking for it.
So instead of hiding your daughters in a room and telling her to just stay in and read a book,
Teach your sons to mind their own business cause no matter what I wear he has no right to touch me without my consent.
©sabina_
S