I Think: No girl is too far from a silly hashtag today
Riya Thomas, student, Kochi, Kerala
This is my message to journalists: I realise you are just doing your job, and this is your bread and butter. But kindly stop killing victims of sexual violence again with your verbal violence. Handle sensitive issues with a bit empathy. Report the truth, without exaggerations — use your heart, not your journalistic brain.
I am in a state of passive acceptance now about the growing rate of violence against women. It does not shock me anymore. Every time I expose myself to the news media, it is a reality check for me. No girl is too far from a silly hashtag today.
News of rape and sexual violence have a great impact on the society. I am not able to enjoy an outing with my friends and family. I am not exaggerating. Every time I go out, I become conscious of incidents of violence that have happened to others. ‘She had that bad experience on the train’, ‘Oh, her body was found in a forest’, or ‘That resort was in the news for the wrong reasons’. That is me right now. But I am not ready to stop going out. Nothing should stop any girl.
Journalists can’t change the world alone. But responsible journalism can definitely make this world a better place.
