The night is yours, mine, and ours
Following recent incidents of sexual violence in Delhi and Bihar, women are organizing night marches to reclaim public spaces and demand safety. The protests highlight the persistent issue of gender-based violence and the slow pace of judicial outcomes.
Why it matters
It reflects the ongoing national conversation in India regarding women's safety and the effectiveness of legal protections.
Days before I moved to Delhi for work, the excitement was shadowed by a recurring nightmare: a group of men following me in an endless, dimly lit metro station as I run.
Seven years on, we are walking at midnight to reclaim the streets, and the woman walking beside me tells me about how the city feels like home despite the circumstances. As we share our experiences about Delhi, both pleasant and unpleasant, I find myself changing my mind about it. Again. It’s not such a bad city, after all.
Historically, a shared response to conflict has always been the strongest catalyst for solidarity. And solidarity is like the switch in the brain that makes the city and the circumstances suddenly feel bearable, almost nice. Which is why we keep returning to it, even when the night feels heavy.
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