Recently the name Ranjitha has been in the news quite often. First it was actress Ranjitha's involvement with Nithyananda and now Ranjitha, the hockey player who has filed a complaint against her hockey coach for sexual abuse. But what amazes me is the total contrast in the reactions of these two Ranjithas for the same problem, namely, sexual abuse. Though much has been written about the video exposures of actress Ranjitha with Nithyananda, I feel she has been totally wronged by the media. The focus of exposure should have been Nithyananda and not the actress. But I also feel she didn't have the guts to stand against a "holy" man of poor moral ethics. Whereas the hockey player, despite the threat of losing her position in the team, and the prospect of giving up her passion, has chosen to stand against the wrong doing and has dared to go against the system.
But does this not reflect the attitude of women in our society towards sexual abuse? I always thought, uneducated women from lower classes are bolder than their educated counterparts in dealing with sexual abuse. A uneducated woman or even a villager doesn't mind dragging her man on to the streets to expose him, if he sexually abuses her. But the so-called educated women, from middle and upper classes of society silently put up with so much crap from the men in the family and are scared to seek legal help. I know of a highly educated acquaintance of mine being pushed to insanity by her husband, who doesn't want her to socialise or mingle with her family or friends . She is a nervous wreck and there is no trace of the once bubbly, active and highly talented girl in her. I just hope that more middle class and upper class Ranjithas, like the hockey player come out boldly, make a statement and seek justice for any wrongdoing against them.
