By Colombo Telegraph –
Anoushka Shankar, daughter of legendary sitarist Ravi Shankar, has thrown her weight behind an online campaign demanding an end to crime against women, in the wake of the Delhi gang rape.
The 31-year-old sitarist has invited one billion women and those who love them, via the website Change.org, to walk out, “Dance, rise up, and demand” an end to this violence this Valentine’s Day, February 14.
“The campaign ‘One Billion Rising’ is a promise that we will rise up with women and men worldwide to say, ‘Enough! The violence ends now’,” the website said.
It also contains a video of Anoushka speaking out for women who have been victims of abuse and asking people to join the campaign.
“As a child I suffered sexual and emotional abuse for several years at the hands of a man my parents trusted implicitly. Growing up, like most women I know, I suffered various forms of groping, touching, verbal abuse and other things I didn’t know how to deal with, I didn’t know I could change,” said the Indian composer, now living in London.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVbLbw8a-ow&feature=youtu.be
“As a woman I find I am frequently living in fear. Afraid to walk alone at night, afraid to answer a man who asks for the time… and enough is enough. I am rising, for (the Delhi rape victim) and women like her. I am rising with the amazing women of my country. I am rising for the child in me, who I don’t think will ever forgive and recover from what happened to her.
“So, join me, let’s rise, let’s dance. Dance has the power to heal, to transform. So let’s transform ourselves and this world. Let’s rise together,” she added.
Meanwhile 0n February 14, 2013, One Billion Rising Sri Lanka (OBR Sri Lanka) will join with activists around the world for One Billion Rising, the largest global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.
Issuing a statement OBR Sri Lanka says; “One Billion Rising began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that 1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. On February 14, 2013, OBR Sri Lanka will join activists, writers, thinkers, celebrities, and women and men across the world as we express our outrage, demand change, strike, dance, and RISE in defiance of the injustices w omen suffer, demanding an end at last to violence against women.”
“In Sri Lanka, police statistics show that there has been a 6% increase in sexual abuse of women and girls in 2012 with at least 700 incidents of sexual abuse of girls reported in the first half of 2012. These include gang rape and sale of young girls for sexual abuse. It has also been revealed that 90% of women are abused when using public transport. 4000 of the 15,000 cases that are being heard in courts are regarding violence against children.”
“OBR Sri Lanka will be organizing a demonstration at Lipton Circus at 4.30pm on Thursday,February 14, 2013 followed by a candlelight vigil at the same location at 6pm, dedicated to all the women and children who have been abused, harassed, raped and killed because of Gender Based Violence. We invite everyone to come dressed in black, red or pink to show your solidarity towards the movement.”
A woman is raped every 90 minutes in Sri Lanka.
1 in 3 women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime.
We invite all concerned citizens to join us and RISE!
For more information, please contact OBR Sri Lanka at obrsrilanka@gmail.com or go to https://www.facebook.com/OneBillionRisingSriLanka
premalal / February 13, 2013
This Movement should be supported by every boyfriend, every husband, every brother and every father actively
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Ben Hurling / February 13, 2013
Completely Agree. We all must support it. I hope this movement will expand to liberate Middle Easter women as well. Both Arab and foreign house maids.
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douglas / February 13, 2013
Thank you CT for taking this initiative. You have done a great service to the women of this world.
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weera / February 14, 2013
She is a great person. I wish all women in this world will support her.
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raghavendran rao / February 15, 2013
it is sad to know the past and brave to know u have spoken about it. it is the man who as an adult should know his duties. the delhi girl case has arisen the consciousness of all human beings.let us continue till women say enough now man is acceptable n his behavior and attitude towards women all across ages
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KRamasamy Rajarathnam / February 15, 2013
Self defence can be made compulsory to all girls in schools…this is one way to keep the unwanted men away and in fear of adultery.
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capucine / February 15, 2013
This is all b.s.Nobody will protect women in this country.When you complain of sexual assault be careful, the the person to whom you complain may be your next seducer.
There is only one solution,after you are raped indicate to the rapist that you enjoyed the act and work for a return act a few days later.When the D-Day arrive go with the surgeons scalpel and a blade.When the act is over the man will feel tired and fall a sleep.Then go into action, slit his stomach from the breast bone to the penis, cut his penis and sling it in his mouth and immediately report to the police at the hospital and get your self examined for vaginal penetration. Get a DNA test done.The Police should encourage this action.One such adventurous soul will help to stop all rapes in the world. You will selected for the Nobel price.I cannot under take this as i am a male.
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Katmai / February 16, 2013
I hope this campaign will be a success and wish all the best to those who are behind it. I sure hope some change will come from this.
Having said that, I also have to wonder what are the chances of positive change coming from this. Let’s say we all rise up, dance, etc. but what next? Don’t we have to identify where the problem is and then deal with it? Without a clear aim of what will be achieved how can any campaign have a lasting effect?
I identify the root of the problem to be the Law, Law Enforcement and the Justice System. The Laws are so convoluted in most countries that if you step in to defend a women being attacked, chances are high that the Good Samaritan will get in more trouble than the attacker. You will also rarely get any support from Law Enforcement in the aftermath and forget about getting justice form the Justice System. So most people just look the other way. There is no help coming from anywhere to a do-gooder. I should know, I’ve tried it.
So, unless you are willing to face the music and swim the rough seas, that entail effecting wide ranging change in Law and Justice, all this dancing is going to lead up to nothing. For the longest time there were those who were worried that the advancement of technology was going to bring the end humanity. But it is not difficult to see that it is our selfishness that is leading the four horsemen to where we are.
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