To The Deputy Director of Tourism, Goa

“You can't blame the locals; they have never seen such women. Foreign tourists must maintain a certain degree of modesty in their clothing. Walking on the beaches half-naked is bound to titillate the senses,” New Delhi's Mail Today newspaper quoted Pamela Mascarhenas, Goa's deputy director of tourism, as saying Friday.

To the Deputy Director of Tourism, Goa
Pamela Mascarhenas,

By making the statement above you are blaming women instead of taking responsibility of the issue. If you believe a person's dress is culturally inappropriate, you may continue to believe so, but you cannot defend any act of violence. A person inappropriately dressed according to your idea of 'Indianness' does not deserve to be attacked, assaulted, molested, raped or even whistled at.

For your information, women from across age groups be it 3 month old babies of 90 year old have been raped. They have been raped in saris, burkhas, salwar kameez, school uniforms, bikinis, jeans, skirts, shirts,lungis. Women have been molested, assaulted, raped at all times of the day, and in public places.

We hope this will direct you towards taking responsibility of these incidents by actually addressing male behaviour and men in Goa, for which you will first have to address yourself by accepting this truth.

We have evidence even though we don't really need it.

No woman of any colour, dress , age, character deserves to be sexually violated or what some might lightly call 'eve teased'.

Thank you for your attention,
An Indian girl who loves her saris and her hot pants.

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I do not deserve to be violated because of what I wear: I NEVER ASK FOR IT.
We are having a clothes collection drive.

All Action Heroes will bring the garment worn at the time of experiencing street sexual harassment, street sexual intimidation, street sexual violence, or being 'eve-teased'.

All Action Heroes will come wearing a garment they've always wanted to wear but did not wear before .

All Action Heroes will be agents, and spread the word, * bring a friend, start collecting clothes as they read this.

*Action Heroes can be male too- we call them the BN guy- and yes all BN guys can contribute too. We want our BN guys to propose ideas via which men can be involved, addressed in the issue of street sexual harassment. All ideas will be published on the blog and followed up if you commit! Are you a BN guy yet?

A big thank you in advance for linking, tweeting, facebooking and making it happen.
tweet with us at twitter.com/blank_noise


CLOTHES COLLECTION DRIVE DETAILS:

week 1
Saturday Feb 13. 2009

Sunday Feb 14. 2009
time: 4 pm- 6 pm
Bangalore: MG Road


week 2
Feb 20
Bangalore: Majestic

week 3
Feb 27
Delhi:

week 4
March 7
Calcutta/Bombay


More details coming up. Stay tuned.
e:blurtblanknoise @gmail.com for any thoughts, ideas, questions, suggestions

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