Residents of Chitradurga staged a protest over the homicide of Renukaswamy, on Wednesday.
| Picture Credit score: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

“Girls are caught between two roles … Both as a damsel in misery or as a long-suffering spouse,” remarked Madhu Bhushan, a feminist activist, whereas talking concerning the two ladies — Pavithra Gowda (an in depth buddy) and Vijayalakshmi (spouse) — who’re gamers within the narrative surrounding Kannada film actor Darshan who has been arrested in a murder case.

Ms. Bhushan was among the many individuals who had protested in entrance of the Karnataka Movie Chamber of Commerce when Darshan was accused of beating and threatening his spouse again in 2011.

Pavitra Gowda and actor Darshan
| Picture Credit score:
Particular association

“This was a problem [online harassment by the now murdered Renukaswamy] that Pavithra might have dealt with herself by complaining to the police, however she selected to complain about it to Darshan. On the opposite aspect, now we have media anchors blaming Vijayalakshmi for tolerating Darshan’s behaviour for therefore lengthy. Why ought to ladies be accountable for a person’s conduct?” she questioned.

“What stopped Pavithra or Darshan from lodging a criticism with the cyber cell? They failed to have a look at it as a problem of a girl being sexually harassed.”Brinda Adige,Girls’s rights activist

The occasions resulting in the alleged homicide of Renukaswamy started with him posting vile feedback/sending obscene messages to Ms. Gowda. With hundreds of girls being subjected to on-line harassment on an on a regular basis foundation, ladies’s rights activists opine that lodging a criticism would have been the best strategy.

“What stopped Pavithra or Darshan from lodging a criticism with the cyber cell? They failed to have a look at it as a problem of a girl being sexually harassed. Darshan sometimes checked out it from the angle of poisonous masculinity. The truth that he and his associates thought that they may get away with that is scary,” mentioned Brinda Adige, a ladies’s rights activist.  

Actor Dharshan and his spouse Vijaylakshmi at a press convention on October 9, 2011.

The activist burdened the position of the State in such points. “When his spouse had charged him with bodily and psychological abuse, the case was quickly closed and such happenings give a message to people who nobody can contact somebody of Darshan’s stature, somebody who’s a film star and likewise a campaigner for political leaders. Now, the federal government should have a look at framing stringent legal guidelines for on-line trolling in order that the police can take robust motion,” she mentioned.

The case has additionally introduced forth the broader subject of girls being judged for his or her “character”.  “When a girl’s subject comes up, it turns into extra about objectification. However the identical factor doesn’t occur to a person. Even in Darshan’s case, there have been a number of points, together with what occurred together with his spouse. However it didn’t have an effect on his profession, title or fame. However many ladies actors who had come ahead throughout the #MeToo motion simply vanished from the movie trade,” identified Okay.S. Vimala of the All-India Democratic Girls’s Affiliation.