Beyond the salt and pepper spray

Mar 18, 2011 |

Age Correspondent

College student Radhika Tanwar was shot dead in New Delhi recently by a man bent on taking revenge after she had slapped him for stalking her. While the man might have been mentally unstable, it still important to think before acting. Hurling abuses or getting physical might stop eve-teasers or stalkers at that point, but a woman might have to suffer later if the man nurses a grudge. What does one do in such a situation?

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Merlyn James: Being stalked must always be taken seriously. Assuming that the situation will be resolved over time is not the solution. Stalkers are paranoid and always have a motive. My advice would be never to keep the situation a secret, since it might make the stalker bolder. Even politicians can be stalked. Stalking is done with a resentful purpose and does not depend on the victim, but on the stalker’s mindset.

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Hannan Salem: No boy has stalked me or my friends. I believe that it depends on your conduct. Girls need to be strict and not behave in a manner that would lead the boy into believing that he can take advantage of her.
The moment you know someone is stalking you, be strong and sort it out – don’t keep quiet. Stalking unintentionally is part of eve-teasing. Face it once and move ahead with your life. At least that’s what I feel.

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