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About

Co-Convenor - The Woman Survivor | #MeTooAtHome | #MeTooBeyondBorders
Editor (Legal & Special Projects) - The Draft
Legal Associate - The Chamber Practice

I am a Lawyer and a Journalist working in the areas of women, children and environment laws and policy perception. I have been writing, for more than eight years in news publications and media portals, on a range of issues that include and are not restricted to history and heritage, environment and climate change, women rights, abuse at home and child abuse - with a focus on law, policy perception, policy percolation and policy effectiveness.

As Co-Convenor of flagship initiative, The Woman Survivor, I conduct lectures and workshops for affected groups and communities in urban and rural zones. I work closely with enforcement agencies such as the police and other authorities for sensitisation of personnel, with women groups for media-legal support and through several other entities such as educational institutions, civil society and government bodies for intervention and awareness.

You may contact me to conduct a workshop, generate specific content on the aforementioned issues and/or assign a project.

At present, I am working in the following areas:

#HowIndianFamiliesStalk - Stalking is an offence under the Indian Penal Code. However, can you imagine what happens when a family member stalks a female member, say a daughter, sister or niece? Despite there being a provision in law against stalking, several women face harassment at the hands of their family through constant physical and cyber stalking. Sadly, law-enforcing authorities dismiss such complaints giving the benefit of doubt to the very perpetrator and ignore the gravity of such offences that go on to lead to more serious crimes such as rape, murder, acid attacks and more. It is time that such 'family members' are exposed and the immunity, derived wrongly from societal perception, is addressed and treated purely on merit to protect girls and women.

#MeTooAtHome - The #MeToo campaign has helped thousands of women come out and talk about the abuse or harassment they faced mainly in workplace or as a result of professional associations. However, there are millions of women who have faced some kind of abuse and at every stage of life while at home. More often than not the perpetrator in this case is someone known to the victim, a relative, a neighbour or even a parent. The #MeTooAtHome initiative is an effort to provide strength and support to victims of abuse at home to help them come forward and move on with their lives.

#MeTooBeyondBorders - This is an initiative of The Woman Survivor to identify and reach out to women who are Indian nationals and suffer abuse at the hands of overseas Indians. This includes women who have married NRIs, men who are working abroad and more.

The Road Ahead
From 2019-2021, I conducted several one-day and two-day #MeTooAtHome workshops across cities - Mumbai, Pune, Panjim, Udaipur, Ahmedabad, Daman and associated rural zones, thereby concluding the Western chapter of the programme. With this, I concluded the preliminary phase of #MeTooAtHome campaign across India.

In 2022, I will be conducting strategic training sessions for #MeTooAtHome coordinators across India who will concurrently be heading #MeTooAtHome centres in their respective cities/towns and conducting capacity-building sessions for their niche teams of volunteers.

It has been heartening to hear personal stories and accounts of hundreds of #MeTooAtHome survivors and their struggles with their own families, authorities and society at large. There were many who undertook the workshop to rebuild their lives after years of trauma while others who participated in the workshop to help an abused 'friend' to help her rehabilitate and live a 'normal' life.

They pledged to step into the new year with a resolve for each to help another and themselves by being proactive, facing their inner demons (at home) and working towards changing the biggest obstacle - perception!

It is owing to the constant threat of stalking and intimidation through social media (to be addressed through law in time) that #MeTooAtHome campaign will be conducted entirely offline i.e. on Ground Zero, in 'safe zones' of partner venues, local police stations or government centres across India. Needless to say, no personal images or workshop pictures will be shared on social media to protect personal identities.

If you are a #MeTooAtHome victim i.e. faced physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse at home by your family members or if you know someone who needs help, you may contact the team on survivor@draftcraft.in.

How You Can Help?
If you are an Individual:
1. Join us as a volunteer
2. Sign up for our talks and workshops
3. Help spread the word

If you are an Institution:
1. Commission a talk
2. Commission a film screening and discussion
3. Partner with us through an MoU for a long-term association
4. Sponsor our events

You may reach me on survivor@draftcraft.in for queries, proposals, services, etc.

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