Mumbai video spreads all over social media to spotlight a crucial issue: respect for and safety of women in public. In that clip a man secretly takes the pictures of girls who walk down the street from behind. His actions were not ignored. Some of the girls did notice his actions, confronting him, questioning why he was taking photos without the girls’ permission.
At the moment, the girls fiercely challenged the man, who was doing inappropriate, dangerous things. “And you’re old enough to be our father, and you do this?” one demanded. Another insisted, “Why did you take my photo from behind?”
The man offered his name: “My name is Rajiv. I clicked it casually. I won’t do this again.” But that excuse did not play with the girls. They told him that taking photos without consent is wrong, and it’s that one more reason women feel unsafe in public spaces.
The confrontation was so powerful because of the clarity and courage of the girls’ words. Such behavior, they said, is inappropriate even in a city like Mumbai, where women are welcome and should feel safe as they move freely in the streets. One girl said to him, “How can you take pics without permission? Because of people like you, girls are beginning to feel unsafe going out.” Their words embodied the frustration so many women feel when their privacy is invaded in day-to-day situations.
The video has since gone viral, with thousands of people sharing and commenting on it and millions of others passing it on. Though some took offense at the man, many praised the girls for standing up for themselves and sending a strong message. It created widespread conversations about consent, respect and how people should be held accountable for actions that may make women feel unsafe.
Just a few moments later, this online video has spread wide, and it is more than a short clip, it’s a reminder of the difficulties women confront in public. It underscores the need for respect and awareness about consent, urgent even. The girls’ courage in dealing with the man is an example for others to follow: silence should never be the answer when safety and dignity are on the line. Mumbai is another city, no exception, that needs to make its streets as safe for all as it was yesterday, and this case reminds the call to action for greater social responsibility alive and well.
