Living on Alert

In all honesty, I’ve been avoiding talking about this. Not because I don’t care, but because it hits too close to home. The more I read about it, the more my heart sinks, a feeling that's all too familiar yet increasingly unbearable. Writing this, I recognize I'm speaking from a place of privilege as an upper caste, educated, financially independent woman. Yet, every step outside feels like a gamble.

Every day, my routine is shaped by an underlying anxiety. Just today, before heading out for a walk, I switched from shorts to jeans. It wasn’t just a choice but a necessary precaution, a habit that’s become almost second nature. This switch is a smaller example of a larger pervasive issue that all women, regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds, face daily.

Every woman I know takes similar precautions daily. Whether it's crossing the street to avoid a group of strangers, adding an extra layer of clothing, or avoiding eye contact, each action is a calculated measure to protect ourselves. The anxiety is relentless. It accompanies us from morning till night, shaping our interactions.

If you’re reading this and it feels like something you've heard before, that’s because it is.It’s a story told and retold in countless conversations and posts online, a shared experience for nearly every woman. Just think about it, if it’s tiresome just to read about these repeated experiences, imagine how draining it is to live them every day.

This isn't just about one horrific incident that captured public attention; it's about the constant, pervasive threats that never make the headlines.It took a situation as gruesome as a horror movie plot to get people onto the streets. And even as we protest, somewhere else, another woman or girl is facing her worst nightmare. It’s endless.

I'm cynical, sure. Most of us are by now. But I still cling to the hope that we can make real changes. We need laws that are so strict they make the monsters think twice before causing harm. We need a system that works, not just for a day or a week, but forever. Because I am tired. We all are. And we deserve better. We deserve to feel safe. Not just protected, but truly, genuinely safe.

This isn’t a call for sympathy but for action. We don’t need to be shielded; we need a society that respects our right to exist without fear. We need to be treated as equals, not as potential victims waiting to happen. We need actions that match the outrage.