TW: Mentions sexual abuse

I have been haunted by these visuals in my head for the past few days. It has been almost four months now, and every night when I go to sleep, I am terrified. I see him breaking the door, walking past the living room, opening the bedroom door, and coming closer to the bed. I try to move, but I am completely frozen. He comes close and chokes me until every breath leaves my body.

I cannot write openly about this because it is confidential. Every day, I have to breathe in the same environment, confined to the same virtual four walls for one-third of my day. This system, which shattered my hope for justice, not only denied me a platform to fight for my rights but also blamed me for bringing it upon myself.

I am not alone in this struggle. As someone who advocates for gender rights and mental health, I know of many other cases—both closed and ongoing—where victims of sexual abuse were silenced, threatened, or left with no options. I have spoken to lawyers, activists, and people in positions of power. Almost all of them have suggested the same thing: let it go and move on. But I cannot. The anger and helplessness tires me.

Our law and order system is deeply flawed but has an even bigger problem. Our society lacks empathy. When victims share their stories, the blame often shifts to them – “Why did she do this?” * *”She should have seen the signs; most men are predators.”* *” Women need to learn to care for themselves, and that’s the truth.”* *” Learn self-defence; it’s your only option.”* *” The system is corrupt, and you can’t change it.”*

This is everywhere. We film ongoing rapes or fights on the streets but don’t intervene. Even during accidents, people are busy recording instead of helping. Empathy seems to have been lost.

For victims, the consequences of speaking out are daunting. Many know that no action will be taken. I often question myself—what if I had never complained? Would life have been easier? I don’t know. But the helplessness is unbearable. Seeing my perpetrator out in the unpunished open sends chills down my spine.

For me, there’s no going back. My life is now divided into two parts: before the incident and after the incident. Everything has changed. This is why my first instinct—and the instinct of so many others—is not to report. The hesitancy to report becomes understandable When we see that even high-profile cases that catch media attention take a long time to resolve, and victims are blamed and shamed.

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Justice