Manju WarrierThe popular actor has lodged a complaint against a police officer who posted a defamatory comment about her on Facebook. She explains why.
This is not a complaint about a personal remark. This is a protest against the common perception that anyone can say anything about women.
I approached the Director General of Police on behalf of all the women who face harassment on social media. I lodged a complaint because the offender was a police officer entrusted with the security of society.
I see a lot of damaging comments on my Facebook wall. There are a few who react to whatever you post by resorting to obscene words and personal remarks. I have brushed them aside as their culture and mental sickness. I feel sympathetic to those who spread fake messages and outright lies. But someone who is a part of a responsible administrative system cannot behave like that.
The civil society does not expect such sub-standard behaviour from a police officer. A civil police officer is the first one to listen to a woman with a grievance. If this is how they think, can we be safe anywhere? If I accept this insult, it will be like accepting an insult to women. That is why I called up the DGP to inform him about it. This is not about getting someone punished but an attempt to revive the sense of security among women.
Social media is bound to reflect all aspects of society. But women should take the initiative to ensure that they get the respect they deserve in social media as well. I do not think anyone should tolerate the insults online. No woman should think twice before reacting to anyone who tries to disgrace women online. Women should find their place in the limitless social media and expand it. We should also fix limits to insults and obscenities.
The time is over for compromises. Women should no longer discard social media succumbing to her harassers. We should stop being spectators and come forward to correct the mistakes on social media.
Disclaimer
The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Manorama. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.