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After Susan Fowler's experiences of harassment at Uber, comes along a post by an 'Indian Fowler' - alleging that she was sexually harassed by Arunabh Kumar, Founder of viral video makers, TVF.
Just as we were all left shocked by Susan Fowler’s experiences of harassment at Uber, comes along a new post by an ‘Indian Fowler’ – alleging that she was sexually harassed by Arunabh Kumar, Founder of viral video makers, TVF.
In a single day, TVF offers its ‘official response‘ which not only makes no mention of what (if anything) the company is doing about the allegations, but instead, adds on a vague threat, saying, “We will leave no stone unturned to find the author of the article and bring them to severe justice for making such false allegations.”
A few years ago, I attended a breakfast meeting of women in media, and among the many things we discussed was the rampant sexual harassment in the industry, and how women who had dared to file complaints, often never really found employment again.
Rina Mukherji, a courageous independent journalist, who once filed a case against her then-employer, The Statesman, has shared here at Women’s Web previously, how it took her years and years of struggle to get even a modicum of justice. It is common knowledge that in both the media and entertainment industries, sexual harassment is not a rare occurrence at all.
It appears now that new media and startups will be no different.
This is not about whether you believe Indian Fowler or TVF. (I believe that the price of speaking up is so high, and women know this so well, that there really is no reason for women to waste their time speaking of things that didn’t happen to them. Also, we know sexual harassment when it happens to us – it’s not a misunderstanding.)
Nonetheless, whether or not you believe her, here are a few things we should be asking TVF to clarify on, rather than giving an empty statement verging on a threat.
It’s worthwhile noting that after ‘Indian Fowler’ spoke up, others have spoken too. Writer-Director Reema Sengupta says, in a recent Facebook post, “To everyone doubting if this is true, know that this girl definitely isn’t the only girl he has been a sleaze to.”
As always though, we put the onus of speaking up on a few women, even though in many industries, sexual harassment is common knowledge. As stand-up comedian Aditi Mittal says,
Silence from the comedy community is deafening.EVERYONE still"texting contacts"/"verifying facts" inspite of hearing stories abt it for yrs? — Aditi (@awryaditi) March 13, 2017
Silence from the comedy community is deafening.EVERYONE still"texting contacts"/"verifying facts" inspite of hearing stories abt it for yrs?
— Aditi (@awryaditi) March 13, 2017
If TVF wants to present an ‘official’ response to any allegations, the only reason I’d even listen to anything they say is if they were to present a factual answer to these questions. We need to hold companies accountable for things they need to do under the law (and not just as a moral imperative). Hitting back with a “we’re awesome and you better believe it”? Just not cutting it!
Image used via Pixabay, for representational purposes only
Founder & Chief Editor of Women's Web, Aparna believes in the power of ideas and conversations to create change. She has been writing since she was ten. In another life, she used to be read more...
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UP Boards Topper Prachi Nigam was trolled on social media for her facial hair; our obsession with appearance is harsh on young minds.
Prachi Nigam’s photo has been doing the rounds on social media for the right reasons. Well, scratch that- I wish the above statement were true. This 15-year-old girl should ideally be revelling in her spectacular achievement of scoring a whopping 98.05% and topping her tenth-grade boards. But oddly enough, along with her marks, it’s something else that garners more attention – her facial hair.
While the trolls are driving themselves giddy by mocking this girl who hasn’t even completed her school yet, the ones who are taking her side are going one step ahead – they are sharing her photoshopped pictures, sans the facial hair, looking nothing less than a celebrity with captions saying – “Prachi Nigam, ten years later”.
Doctors have already diagnosed her with PCOD in their comments, based on photographic evidence. While we have names for people shamed for their weight – body shaming, for their skin colour- racism, for their age- age shaming, for being a female- sexism, this category of shaming where one faces criticism for their appearance has no name. With that, it also has zero shame attached to it.
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