The murder and rape of a Kolkata doctor have ignited a nationwide uproar, leading to widespread discussions on women’s safety in India. In the midst of this heated debate, actress and former beauty queen, Celina Jaitly, came forward to share her traumatic experiences related to women’s safety from her school days.
Delving back into her childhood, Celina Jaitly revealed unsettling incidents that she endured, which left emotional scars and a longstanding sense of self-blame. Sharing a poignant memory from her sixth grade, Jaitly took to Instagram to recount how boys from a nearby university would wait outside her school, harassing her daily. “THE VICTIM IS ALWAYS AT FAULT: In this pic I was in 6th grade only when boys from a nearby university started to wait outside my school. They would follow the school rickshaw making catcalls all the way home every day,” wrote Celina.
What began as catcalling soon escalated into more aggressive behavior. “A few days later, because of ignoring them, they started throwing stones at me in the middle of the road to get my attention. Not one bystander batted an eye,” she mentioned, highlighting the apathy of the public.
Further compounding her ordeal, Celina was subjected to victim-shaming by a teacher. “I was told by a teacher: It was because I was ‘too westernized and did not wear loose clothes and did not tie my hair in two braids with oil; it was my fault!’” she recounted. This statement by an authority figure only deepened her sense of guilt and confusion.
In another distressing revelation, Jaitly shared, “It was also at this age when a man first flashed his private parts to me while waiting for the school rickshaw in the morning. For many years, I blamed myself for this incident, keeping the teacher’s words in mind that it was MY FAULT!” This deeply personal disclosure underscores the pervasive issue of victim-blaming, which shifts the onus from the perpetrator to the survivor.
Continuing with her narrative of harassment, Jaitly talked about a dangerous episode during her 11th grade. “In 11th grade, I still remember they cut the wire of my scooty’s brakes because I was not acknowledging the university boys who heckled and called me rude names & left lewd notes on my scooty,” she wrote. Concerned classmates reported the incident to the teachers, but the response was far from supportive.
. “My class teacher called me and told me, ‘You come across as a FORWARD type of girl, riding a scooty and wearing jeans to extra classes with short open hair; that’s why boys think you are of a loose character.’ It was always my fault.”
The repercussions of this sabotage were severe. “I still remember that day jumping off my scooty to save myself because of my brake wires being cut off. I was hurt badly and yet it was my fault. My Scooty was damaged… I was both physically and psychologically hurt… And I was told it was MY FAULT!” she reflected.
Jaitly also highlighted the involvement of her grandfather in her protection. “My retired Colonel Grandfather who fought two wars for our country had to escort me back and forth to school… I still remember those rude boys who chased me, even damaging my scooty. They also passed derogatory remarks on my retired colonel grandfather, making fun of him. Nana stood and stared at them and then he turned away, shook his head, and I could read his face as he walked away with me. His disgust at the very people he laid his life on line for.”
Concluding her emotional post, Jaitly made a fervent appeal for societal change. “It’s time to stand up and ask for our right to be protected. WE ARE NOT AT FAULT.”
Celina Jaitly’s courageous recounting of her childhood traumas serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing issues of harassment, victim-blaming, and inadequate responses from those in positions of authority. Her story adds to the collective voices demanding stringent measures to ensure the safety and dignity of women in India.
