Abuse against women - How can YOU make a difference?
Every day we hear stories about women getting raped, molested, eve teased. Every day, we pick up the newspaper, read the story in horror, maybe talk a little, and forget about it. Then one day, suddenly, something similar happens to you, or to a woman you know. And this time, you can’t forget it easily. It is worse when a man you know has done this to a woman.
Stories like this kept happening around me and I didn’t know what to do, or how to make a difference. But if we come together and educate young boys of our house, we will be able to stop the abuse. We have no say in how the man walking across the street is brought up. But we do have the ability to change the minds of the boys in our own house.
At this point some of you will wonder, how do I start? this is awkward.
Well, you’re not alone.
1. The best thing here is to start conversing more, and by more, I mean talking to each other as friends. If you are a sibling, it is easier for you. But if you are a parent, teens don’t see you as a friend. Here, criticizing your child will only make things worse. Try to have an open mind. When you feel your child is doing something wrong, sit down with them, and have a conversation about “why” is his/her action wrong, explain it to them. Your kid might not listen to you and throw tantrums at that moment, but when he is quiet later, he will go over your conversation and understand your point. Showing your authority over your child will not help.
2. Once you overcome the awkward stage, talking to the young boy becomes easy. You can use or make up examples/situations and tell which one is wrong or right.
3. The environment at home has to be good. Make sure that there is no male abusing a female or vice versa, especially in front of a child. And unfortunately, if there is, make sure to tell the child how wrong it is and on how many levels. The child might ask you questions that make you uncomfortable but answer them as truthfully as you can. You cannot expect the child to share details from his life if you don’t share details from yours.
4. Tell your child about periods, talk about sex. When he is older and is able to understand better, talk about things that you feel are normal, but society doesn’t agree. Like female orgasms, enjoying sex, period pain etc.
5. Once a child enters teenage, he gets access to internet. Regulate the sites that he visits. Make sure he doesn’t watch any 18+ content. And mind you, 18+ content does not necessarily have nude scenes or bad language.
6. When a child reaches his late teens, you won’t have control over the content he indulges in on the internet. At this point, your conversations with him will help him the most. They will guide him back to the correct path when he has strayed on to the wrong one.
Educating young minds is what we can do to make our future better. Talk to your younger brother, neighbor, friend. Make sure they respect women and don’t abuse them. Make sure that the man you are close to does not abuse a woman in the future.
Stories like this kept happening around me and I didn’t know what to do, or how to make a difference. But if we come together and educate young boys of our house, we will be able to stop the abuse. We have no say in how the man walking across the street is brought up. But we do have the ability to change the minds of the boys in our own house.
At this point some of you will wonder, how do I start? this is awkward.
Well, you’re not alone.
1. The best thing here is to start conversing more, and by more, I mean talking to each other as friends. If you are a sibling, it is easier for you. But if you are a parent, teens don’t see you as a friend. Here, criticizing your child will only make things worse. Try to have an open mind. When you feel your child is doing something wrong, sit down with them, and have a conversation about “why” is his/her action wrong, explain it to them. Your kid might not listen to you and throw tantrums at that moment, but when he is quiet later, he will go over your conversation and understand your point. Showing your authority over your child will not help.
2. Once you overcome the awkward stage, talking to the young boy becomes easy. You can use or make up examples/situations and tell which one is wrong or right.
3. The environment at home has to be good. Make sure that there is no male abusing a female or vice versa, especially in front of a child. And unfortunately, if there is, make sure to tell the child how wrong it is and on how many levels. The child might ask you questions that make you uncomfortable but answer them as truthfully as you can. You cannot expect the child to share details from his life if you don’t share details from yours.
4. Tell your child about periods, talk about sex. When he is older and is able to understand better, talk about things that you feel are normal, but society doesn’t agree. Like female orgasms, enjoying sex, period pain etc.
5. Once a child enters teenage, he gets access to internet. Regulate the sites that he visits. Make sure he doesn’t watch any 18+ content. And mind you, 18+ content does not necessarily have nude scenes or bad language.
6. When a child reaches his late teens, you won’t have control over the content he indulges in on the internet. At this point, your conversations with him will help him the most. They will guide him back to the correct path when he has strayed on to the wrong one.
Educating young minds is what we can do to make our future better. Talk to your younger brother, neighbor, friend. Make sure they respect women and don’t abuse them. Make sure that the man you are close to does not abuse a woman in the future.
If each woman can change the thinking of just one young man, the difference made will be huge!
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