Where is #MeToo for poor?

In a patriarchal society, allegations against men in power are frequently not taken seriously by the authorities and, if they make it to court, intimidation of victims and coercion of witnesses is commonplace.

But actress Tanushree Dutta has brought the #MeToo movement to India after accusing her awardwinning Bollywood costar Nana Patekar of sexual harassment on a film set 10 years ago. Patekar has denied the charges.

It has taken a while but the movement is gaining traction in India, with actresses and politicians giving their support to those who speak out.

While this change is good and needed, what about the poor in the villages who don’t use any hashtags or who don’t have access to social media?

This has led to many women from across social stratas coming forward and sharing their stories in the media and public. However, this is rare. When powerful women are abused, they call #MeToo, but what example do we set for ordinary women?

This movement must reach the poor as well.

Patriarchy is about power and its many manifestations and, therefore, the current issue has doubled allegations on many known personalities. But we are still shaken by rapes of little girls in small towns and villages. We still have a hope that in the future, women will not be silent for so long.

There has been a drastic change in the perception of the people and now, women are ready to unmask their predators.