CONSENT✓

One-Shot

Belated Happy Birthday to my cutiepie Shreya ElaraGizelle

Wishing you all the great things in life, hope this year will bring you an extra share of all that makes you happiest. Happy birthday Kiddo😘😘

Be it fun of teasing a person in what you think is light-hearted conversation or your passion, desire for someone, it is beautiful only when it is consensual.  

Khushi went to pick up her ten year old son, Aarav and their new neighbor's daughter, Dia from school. Kids were in playground. She found Aarav laughing, teasing Dia as she struggled to get back her water bottle from him. This was despite numerous times, Khushi had scolded him for troubling the girl. 

Later, while driving back home, Khushi got more irked as he pulled at Dia's pigtails demanding her to come home and play Monopoly with him in the evening. Dia had already refused twice, covered her hair with her hands and moved to the corner seat. But Aarav couldn't sense her irritation, fear, disinterest. He stopped only when Khushi warned him. He even sulked for being scolded infront of Dia, who looked much relieved.

This peculiar behavior of Aarav, since Dia had become their neighbor, was new for Khushi. She could understand his sentiments if he took liking for the sweet girl and wanted to spend time with her but bullying was absolutely wrong. She has never seen him behaving so brash with anyone or maybe it has escaped her notice earlier. 

She realized this needs to be nipped in the bud and not something to be brushed off as childish.

At RM,

Khushi : How many times have I told you to not tease Dia?

Aarav : Mumma, we were just playing.

Khushi : No, it was not a play. She was not enjoying it. Aarav, you dont like when someone touches your paintings, colors right? 

Aarav nodded.

Khushi : Then why did you touch her water-bottle without her permission? Refused to give it back? Would you like it if Viaan held you to himself, refuse to free you even if you asked him?

Aarav :  No. I would hate it.

Khushi : Then why did you pull her pigtails when she asked you to stop? 

Aarav had no answer for his 'sharp' brain.

Khushi : When I was sixteen, a boy used to tease me whenever I would go to play at nearby park. Once, he held my hand even as I tried my best to free it, cried, repeatedly asked him to stop but he kept grinning at me, holding tight to my wrist. He turned his lips into an obscene kiss gesture before he freed my hand and went away whistling.   

Aarav was dumbfounded. He could visualize his mother requesting a faceless man to leave her alone but the monster refused. The scene was so painful, frustrating for him. He hated the man already for hurting his mother. He wanted to harm him.

Khushi : Mumma was in pain Aarav. She tried with all her might but couldn't free herself. she was helpless, scared, horrified. She hated that boy and wanted to be away from him always. Aarav, I wanted him to be punished for behaving so bad with me. I told your Nanu, we registered a complaint in police station and he got punished. His parents were so ashamed of him, agreed that he was wrong and should be sent to jail. Do you think his parents should have supported his bad deeds instead?

Aarav : No, they did right. He did wrong, hurt you bad.

Khushi : Do you want Dia or anyone else to hate you for misbehaving with them.

Aarav, people may not idolize you, be proud of you, become your fan. Its okay, quite normal actually. But, I would hate it if you become a person behind someone's pain, if your acts make someone fear you, make them shrink back in terror. I would feel so shameful if a person feels insecure in your presence, if your actions evoke hatred in someone's mind for you, if your actions force them to wish bad for you. 

Aarav, Mumma would be highly disappointed if you leave behind your humanity ever and  become an animal. A person who disrespects someone's consent is not a human being.  

Aarav was slowly getting a hang of it. He had heard about consent thing, trending on social media. It was a hot topic in their school too. 

Aarav : Mumma, we had a class on how Men should respect women's consent. 

Khushi : Yes Aarav, everyone whether men or women should respect a person's consent. Be sensitive enough to value permission just like you know...we shouldn't enter someone's room without their permission. It is as simple as that.

Aarav : So in that case, Kiara shouldn't hug me when I say no?

Khushi : Absolutely! She shouldn't. Next time, she does it, you need to tell me.

Aarav : But Mumma, Viaan says No, at times, actually means Yes, especially with girls. He says they are shy, therefore say No but it actually means Yes.

Khushi : You think I was shy when I was asking that man to leave me? 

Aarav( replied spontaneously) : No Mumma. 

Khushi : Aarav understand one thing- No never means Yes. There is no room for any doubt there. You don't do things to people about which you have no permission. 'No' always means only one thing - NO. 

Aarav : Hamesha?

Khushi : Always.

Khushi : Will you ever touch any person or their things without their permission?

Aarav : Never Mumma and its my promise to you. 

Evening, 16:00 Hrs

Aarav : Umm...Mumma, Can you help with chocolate chip cookies? Vo...I 'll go and apologize to Dia for misbehaving with her.

Khushi kissed her son as she followed him to kitchen.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

CHANGE BEGINS AT HOME. 

SHARE YOUR HARASSMENT SCAR WITH YOUR CHILDREN. MAKE THEM REALIZE HOW PAINFUL HARASSMENT IS AND STOP THEM FROM BECOMING A PERPETRATOR.  MAKE THEM REALIZE HOW WRONG IT IS TO KEEP SILENT, ENDURE PAIN AND HELP THEM RAISE THEIR VOICE AGAINST THEIR PERPETRATOR.