I was talking to a friend and in the light of ongoing news he asked me if I have ever faced any “sexual harassment”, and my immediate response was, ‘No, not really’, but now wait, how can that be possible? I have been raised in the city with the highest rate of crime against women! I thought a little harder.. So, when traveling in a public bus and a guy is leaving no room for even an ounce of air between his and my body because it’s ‘crowded’, would that be considered harassment? Or, when I am walking on street minding my own business, and someone shouts gibberish (God only knows what!), would that be considered harassment? Or, when four men try to pull me in their car and take off with my phone, would that be considered harassment? Or, when a shopkeeper while giving back change grabs my hand for a minute and decides to count coins on my palm and when I pull back calls me ill-mannered, would that be considered harassment? Or, when an acquaintance forcefully gives a hug and slides their hand off my back and side three times, would that be considered harassment? Or, when someone at gym says nice ass and tries to ‘help’, would that be considered harassment? I think so.  I can list unlimited such ‘Or-s’ and I am sure every woman I know can do so too. I am guilty of not speaking up or sharing in detail or even considering these incidents as ‘sexual harassment’ because it’s everywhere, and we as women are so used to these day-to-day incidents, that all of it is something which ‘just happens to everyone’ kinda thing and we have learnt to ‘ignore it’. His question did rile me up, but it also made me wonder – why am I embarrassed to share, I didn’t do anything wrong, but I could see how as a woman, unconsciously we are programmed to take the blame on ourselves and feel shameful for the mis-happenings that happen to us! As sad as I feel reading all the news and as much my heart goes to all women who have suffered over the years, I believe it’s also an awakening and a time for change which is taking us to a better future (or so I hope!).