As the tragic news of a Kolkata doctor’s murder and rape sends shockwaves across the nation, women are increasingly voicing their concerns over the deteriorating state of safety in India. Among those stepping forward is actress and former beauty queen Celina Jaitly, who recently shared distressing memories from her school days, highlighting the persistent issue of victim-blaming in society.
Celina Jaitly took to Instagram on Saturday to recall painful incidents from her childhood, accompanying her post with an image of herself from sixth grade. Her candid revelations paint a grim picture of the hostile environment many women and girls face every day, an environment that shames and blames victims instead of holding perpetrators accountable.
In her Instagram post, titled “THE VICTIM IS ALWAYS AT FAULT,” Celina recounted how boys from a nearby university began waiting outside her school, following her rickshaw and making catcalls all the way home. Despite her attempts to ignore them, their harassment escalated. “A few days later, they started throwing stones at me in the middle of the road to get my attention,” Celina wrote, underscoring the terrifying reality that not one bystander intervened to help her.
What’s equally disturbing is how authority figures, instead of supporting her, perpetuated the cycle of victim-blaming. She recalled a teacher admonishing her: “It was because I was ‘too westernized,’ did not wear loose clothes, and did not tie my hair in two braids. It was my fault!” Such statements only served to internalize the guilt and shame, which Celina carried for years.
She poignantly recounted one of the most horrifying incidents, which occurred when she was just a child. “It was also at this age when a man first flashed his private parts at me while waiting for the school rickshaw in the morning. For many years I blamed myself for this incident, repeatedly running the teacher’s words through my mind that it was MY FAULT,” Celina wrote. This moment, seared into her memory, serves as a heart-wrenching reminder of the urgent need for societal change regarding victim treatment and safety.
As she progressed into her teenage years, the harassment did not stop. Celina shared another instance from 11th grade when boys from the university cut the wire of her scooty’s brakes after she ignored their lewd remarks and notes.
. “My male classmates were scared for me and reported it to our teachers. But my class teacher said, ‘You come across as a forward type of girl, riding a scooty, wearing jeans to extra classes with short, open hair; that’s why boys think you are of loose character.’ It was always my fault,” she wrote, encapsulating the victim-blaming mindset that pervades so many aspects of society.
She vividly remembered the day she had to jump off her scooty to save herself due to the cut brake wires. “I was hurt badly, both physically and psychologically, and yet it was my fault. My scooty was damaged, but the primary takeaway from that incident was that I was to blame,” Celina lamented.
The emotional turmoil wasn’t limited to herself but extended to her family. She described how even her grandfather, a retired colonel who had fought two wars for India, had to escort her to and from school due to the harassment she faced. “Those rude boys chased me, even damaging my scooty, and passed derogatory remarks on my retired colonel grandfather, mocking him. Nana stood and stared at them, then shook his head as he walked away with me. His face showed the disgust he felt towards the very people he had put his life on the line for,” Celina recalled.
Her heartfelt post concluded with a powerful call to action: “It’s time to stand up and ask for our right to be protected. WE ARE NOT AT FAULT.” Celina’s story is a poignant reminder that societal attitudes towards victim-blaming need a drastic change, emphasizing the importance of supporting and believing survivors of harassment and assault.
As the nation grapples with the horrifying news from Kolkata, Celina Jaitly’s brave revelations encourage introspection and highlight the urgency of addressing women’s safety and dismantling the toxic culture of victim-blaming that continues to pervade society. Her candid narrations serve as a rallying cry for change, urging all to create a safer and more supportive environment for women and girls everywhere.
