Victim-blaming of women who face sexual harassment should stop: Khushbu

Men should be educated to treat women with respect and not as mere objects of desire, she says

National Commission for Women member Khushbu Sundar on Monday said the tendency to question and blame women who face sexual harassment, should stop.

Addressing the inauguration of a three-day conference on ‘Women empowerment and gender equality’ ahead of the International Women’s Day, the actor-politician said questions such as why the affected woman was out so long at night or why she was wearing particular type of clothes should stop.

Instead, she said men should be educated on treating women with respect and not as mere objects of desire. Blaming the patriarchal system for men’s attitute towards women, she stressed the need for beginning the changes at home.

Her comments came in the backdrop of her recent revelation during an interview with the online media platform Mojo Story about how she was sexually abused as a child by her father and her courageous revolt against him when she was 15.

She inaugurated a photo exhibition, highlighting the achievements and struggles of pioneering women, especially those who took part in the freedom struggle. She said whatever progress women had achieved at present were because of the sacrifices made by such pioneers.

She said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took several initiatives towards women’s progress. The event was organised by Central Bureau of Communication and Press Information Bureau in association with University of Madras and DOT School of Design.