Ignoring emboldens abusive trolling: Swara Bhasker
Afew days ago, Swara Bhasker stood up for a Kerala nun, a rape victim, who was referred to as a “prostitute” by MLA PC George. Expressing solidarity on the same, Swara tweeted about George’s comment and wrote “Absolutely shameful and disgusting !!!! Scum present across political spectrums and religious divides in India. Literally nauseating (sic).” After reading this, filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri replied to Swara’s tweet while taking a dig at #MeToo movement against sexual harassment. He posted, “Where is the placard #MeTooProstituteNun? (sic)” In retaliation, Swara replied, “Vivek. Just want to point out that you are using the trauma of women who are rape survivors to slut shame and abuse in public, a woman you don’t like. In the rare moments of sanity that may visit your brain otherwise unhinged with hate think about how low that is. #scum (sic).” She also flagged off the abusive post to Twitter authorities, who promptly locked his account until he took down the tweet.
Talking about the episode, Swara says, “I think ignoring emboldens abusive trolling and it feels like we are surrendering the virtual public sphere to cyber bullies. I believe in confronting them head on, even if they are paid trolls or bots, at least my followers and the people who retweet my tweets will see a girl refusing to be shamed, and standing up for decent civil conduct on public platforms. I call them out and shame them by quote retweeting. And some I report on Twitter. I elieve in creating olidarity among decent, ike-minded people on witter.”
She further adds hat she is impressed ith the authorities t Twitter India for eing prompt with heir actions. “If we keep calling em (trolls and abuses) out they will not get away. And that’s why I thank Twitter India for taking cognisance of the abusive tweet. And funnily noticed that after the witter news circulated, nother verified troll of ine deleted his nasty weet voluntarily. I think e should support one nother and enable one nother with positivity nd not hateful buse,” she says.
If we keep calling them (trolls and abuses) out they will not get away. And that’s why I thank Twitter India for taking cognisance of the abusive tweet.
SWARA BHASKER,
ACTOR