Woman Shares Ordeal Of Being Patronized For Her Disability While Being Cyber Sexual Harassed. What Even Are Men?!
Sexual Assault in India is horrifyingly and unfortunately pretty common. Every day all over the country, numerous people are victims of someone assaulting or abusing them. And while some of us are in a position to put up a fight, are the rest? And what about times when these things happen on the internet out of the blue? Most women have experienced some random guy sliding into our DMs and asking us for obscene pictures. To be honest, it doesn’t even have to be some random person but it could very well be someone you know. Something similar happened to the inspiring Virali Modi when she was speaking to a man over Instagram for a modeling opportunity and he cyber sexually assaulted her. The messages will disgust you!
TW: Sexual Harassment
This person posted an ad on Instagram for a casting call regarding a modelling gig for a big brand. He said I was pretty but he wasn’t looking for someone on a wheelchair for that specific modelling gig but he would keep me in mind for future projects. pic.twitter.com/3euvwlMmEu
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
Like, can we just talk about how sickening his messages are?
A couple of months later, he posted again for another project. I messaged him again, just to remind him of me. He then proceeds to tell me that if it wasn’t for my condition, he’d be horny for me. To be honest, I was taken aback by his disgusting message and I told him off.
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
And the fact that he is trying to demean her disability by saying this,
First and foremost, my disability doesn’t make me any less desirable. Secondly, he shouldn’t EVER be speaking to anyone in such a way, no matter their gender, physical condition, race, caste, or sexual preference. This is online sexual harassment.
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
She is so right!
Just because he’s “influential” doesn’t give him the right to speak to me or anyone in such a way. This is exploitation of his privilege and “influence”. In the age of the #MeToo movement, you would think people in would have common sense but that’s what’s lacking, common sense.
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
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I know by speaking up and against him, I am jeopardising my chances of getting future work in the industry but I honestly don’t care. My sentiments weren’t hurt by him but it’s aggravated me. I have PTSD because men like him have tried to take advantage of me and my disability.
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
It is brave of her to speak about this so honestly,
My self respect, morals, and dignity are worth more than my need for work. I am an extremely hard working person and the first wheelchair using model in India. I have worked for many prestigious brands as a freelance model.
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
Receiving such messages really brings me down because I know that I’m not the first person this man has messaged in the hopes of tricking someone into bed in order to get work.
This is the dark truth.
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
Also Read: Molestation Victim’s Twitter Thread Exposes How Insensitive Country’s Police Personnel Are When Handling Such Cases
I assume he received a lot of backlash for what he did and then went ahead to change his Insta ID. BTW, here is his new Insta account
He made his account private. #metooindia #metoo pic.twitter.com/O0iYWBbJEr
— Virali Modi (@Virali01) October 3, 2022
Let’s be honest, women face sexual harassment in every way possible, no matter where they go. It is fair to say that women literally are sexually assaulted for existing and going about their lives. The fact that a man felt comfortable saying this on a woman’s DM when all she was doing was talking to him for professional reasons for modeling is absolutely disgusting. And what’s more, is that this isn’t even the worse example of online sexual harassment women have faced. And to put the cherry on top of this disastrous sundae of audacity, he is also trying to base her value or attractiveness on her disability which she clearly is a spokesperson for. The audacity, is all I can say.
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