The rise of #MeToo in India

Last year, Indian journalist Priya Ramani wrote an open letter to the "Harvey Weinsteins of the World", published in Vogue India.

She described in detail a job interview with an older publisher, whose name was unknown, and which was to take place in a hotel room. "You taught me my first work lesson. I was 23 years old, you were 43 years old. I grew up reading your smart opinions and dreamed of being as erudite as you are. You have been one of my professional heroes, "she wrote.

"It turns out you were such a talented predator that you were a writer," she continued. "It was more dated, less of an interview. … I escaped that night, you hired me, I worked for you for several months even though I'd vowed never to be alone in a room with you.

A year later, on October 8, Ramani identified this publisher like Mr. J. Akbar. He entered politics and held the position of Minister of State for External Affairs (similar to a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs). Several women presented more allegations, including many journalists who had met Akbar in various publications.

Akbar officially resigned from his post last Wednesday.

"As women, we feel justified by the resignation of MJ Akbar", Ramani tweeted. "I look forward to the day when I will also seek justice in the #metoo court."

Akbar is now one of the most prominent men to have been overthrown by the growing #MeToo movement in India, which has grown in intensity.

Ramani's statement is part of a wider wave of activism sparked by actress Tanlyree Dutta of Bollywood, who has relaunched charges against an actor a decade ago, as well as a writer and comedian. Mahima Kukreja. Kukreja detailed allegations on Twitter about a comedian who had sent him obscene messages. After her posted his tweet, the effusion began.

"It has snowballed in what is now essentially the # MeToo movement in India," Kukreja said. "It has become bigger than a story, or a woman in particular … it has become about how men in power simply get out."

This report has repercussions on the entertainment and media industries in India and is now overflowing into politics. Women denounce sexual harassment, especially in the workplace, leading a new movement fueled by social media.

The patriarchal and conservative society of India, as well as the divisions between regions and languages, have so far limited the reach of #MeToo to essentially elitist sectors of society and urban areas. But activists think it has to start somewhere and see women coming forward and calling themselves survivors a turning point.

"This movement [has] broke the silence, "said Zakia Soman, co-founder of the Indian Muslim Women's Organization and longtime advocate for women's rights and human rights. "The break of silence is the first important step."

The survivors of India became #MeToo activists

Kukreja, the writer and comedian, said his decision to lay charges against a stalker in October was impulsive. "There was something in my head that slammed – it was just that moment of anger and resentment and that pure and urgent need to tell the truth," she said. "All this has just crashed in my head."

The catalyst was a tweet from male comedian Utsav Chakraborty calling other Indian men for harassing women. Kukreja was frustrated to see that Chakraborty claimed to be a feminist ally when she knew that her private actions did not go together. She spoke. And then other victims.

Chakraborty is excused on Twitter and it soon became clear that one of the founders of his comedy troupe was aware of the charges against him and that another had then been accused himself of Sexual misconduct. both have moved away from society.

Kukreja thought that there were perhaps other women who had a similar story to tell about Chakraborty, and there were some. But she did not really expect the sheer number of messages she received.

"We became, and especially the first days, as trauma guardians," she said. "All these women were waiting to tell their stories, waiting to be heard, to be seen, to feel like human beings."

High-level women come forward. Tanushree Dutta, a Bollywood actress, renewed allegations at the end of September that her fellow actress, Nana Patekar, has tried to change her scene in a movie so she can grope her way. (Patekar denied the allegations.)

Dutta spoke when the alleged incident occurred in 2008, but said she was ashamed and threatened to shut up. Ten years later, she raises the issue again and files harassment complaints with the police.

And this time, people are listening.

Where is the #MeToo Indian movement going?

The activism of women in India, which has grown in recent weeks, owes a lot to social media. The #MeToo conversation has been successful online, including in India, at Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court hearings, as well as allegations and testimony from Christine Blasey Ford. Social media has provided a platform where women can express themselves to name the authors and find a community of solidarity with other survivors.

The preparatory work for this moment # MeToo in India may have started a few years ago. In 2012, the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi galvanized the country, provoking mass protests and criticism of the government's handling of the case. It has also generated real activism and discussion about violence against women and other gender inequalities.

Rachel Vogelstein, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, who studies the #MeToo movement around the world, said the activism that followed the 2012 rape case helped set up advocacy networks and provide the vocabulary that animates the current movement.

But culture has not always respected the laws. Women still face incredible stigma for talking about rape or sexual assault. Victims are often accused of being engaged in sexual violence. For this reason, there are many who do not see in law enforcement or the judiciary a viable viable option for recourse against wrongdoing.

This includes sexual harassment. In 2013, India passed a law to prevent sexual harassment at work. But Soman said that although the law exists on paper, its application has been delayed. "That's what # MeToo contributes," she said. "It's creating that kind of consciousness."

This, too, may have helped to encourage the popular social media movement to denounce the aggressors; it is perhaps the closest thing to a kind of justice.

This is why Akbar's resignation underscored the growing power of the movement: the fact that a once-powerful journalist, a government official, actually lost his job. "The fact that we were seeing consequences is really new," Vogelstein said of India.

It also reveals the challenges and risks of #MeToo. "[To] Publicly name names and put your face and identity behind it. It takes a lot of courage to do it, "Kukreja told me.

This is especially true in India, where defamation laws are strict. Alyssa Ayres, an Indian expert with the Council on Foreign Relations, said that in India, defamation – meaning deliberately damaging a person's reputation – can result in criminal penalties.

For example, Akbar is pursuing a criminal defamation case against Ramani "by deliberately putting forward malicious, fabricated and salacious charges" that have damaged his reputation. Ramani has several witnesses who support her. But the threat of crime could certainly be cold on women's backs.

#MeToo's allegations have so far focused on mostly men in high-profile industries, but they are also fueling the discussion of broader issues of gender equality and gender equality. discrimination in India – and on the work that remains to be done.

"People also say," We have a problem in India and the #MeToo conversation is only about the elite. Visit some of our villages or see what kind of inequities and harassment women in other Indian-language media face, "said Ayres.

India's regional and linguistic diversity, the differences in access to technology and the stigma attached to sexual violence all contribute to a culture of silence. Many women are also risking their lives if they speak up. For a woman in a small town, Soman said, "If she had to go out and say that it's happening to her, it would be really, really dangerous."

And yet, there are early signs that the #MeToo movement is cracking – if not lifting – these barriers. Reuters reported that government officials were considering toughening laws on sexual harassment following Akbar's resignation, and it was reported that companies were also reviewing their policies. The National Women's Commission in India has set up a dedicated e-mail allowing people to lodge formal complaints about harassment. The e-mail address – [email protected] – shows how much this movement shook the country.

"There has been an undeniable change in recent weeks with the number of women who have come forward to share their experience," said Vogelstein.

Above all, there is the fear of a violent reaction before a radical change can take place. Recently, a ruling party minister in India called #MeToo a product of "evil people".

Kukreja said that there will always be trolls, but whoever thinks it is some sort of "witch hunt" is not paying attention. The # MeToo movement is real – just ask any woman.

"It's insidious, it's complex, it's far-reaching," she told me. "He's present at every intersection of gender, bisexuality, religion and class system, careers … and letting him do it now would be ignoring [miss] luck, the greatest chance we have in recent modern history of being able to make it better. "