Breaking Barriers: Bollywood Celebrities Speaking Out About Domestic Violence Rise During The Coronavirus Lockdown
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There was an unfortunately large spike in the cases of domestic violence reported during the COVID-19 lockdown. This has raised concerns amongst many citizens and caused shockwaves across the country. The effects were so drastic that many celebrities took to social media to speak out over the topic of domestic violence, a problem that has been plaguing the country since time immemorial. However, this has not just been the case in India, many countries throughout the world like Australia, Italy, UK, US, France and more have seen a spike in the number of cases of domestic violence. This just goes to show how rampant the problem is in society. Many of these cases go unreported during times like this and the victims often suffer througha lot of mental turmoil and pain during this time. Here’s how celebrities are speaking out about this troubling issue (1) (2):
In This Article
1. Richa Chadda
The outspoken actress talked about how she wasn’t surprised to hear the news at all. She added that she believed men were taking out their frustration due to the circumstances on their wives and children. She believed that the workload was especially hard on women during this time. She asked people to be extremely vigilant and report to any helplines if they hear of cases around them.
2. Taapsee Pannu
Taapsee spoke up about how people have no escape route during this time. She added that there are now added economic hurdles and space constraints due to the lockdown. She mentioned that some women might not be able to find the alone time needed to pick up the phone and dial for help. She hopes that the people enduring it will have the courage to speak out and ask for help. Like Richa, Taapsee too asked people to stay extra vigilant during these times. Taapsee had earlier starred in a film highlighting domestic violence called Thappad. The bold actress is known for acting in outspoken movies and her previous accolades include movies like Pink, Chashme Baddoor, Daruvu, and many others.
3. Shreyas Talpade
Shreyas brought up an issue that is common in Indian society. The mentality people have where they think, “this happens” and ‘’it’s the family’s personal matter’’. He added that people who think this way need to change their approach. The Iqbal actor asked people to report to the helplines and added that they should also report if they see something going on around them. He told people to not be afraid of helping right a wrong.
4. Madhuri Dixit Nene
The actress and 90s heartthrob reacted to the news by stating that she was extremely disappointed to see the rise in domestic violence cases during a pandemic. She added helpline numbers and told her followers that now is the time when people need each other the most.
5. Sonali Kulkarni
Sonali asked people to speak up and to not show any tolerance towards a crime like domestic violence. She added that people should reach out to the police and concerned authorities for help. She asked people to report any such occurrences that may be occurring in their nearby localities. According to Sonali, it is our moral responsibility to do the same.
6. Shanvi Srivastava
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The popular South Indian actress shared a moving video on her Instagram account where she asked women to not mask their abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic. She added that while it is necessary to social distance during this time, it is also essential for people to understand that many women are unsafe even within their homes. The actress had stated that she was appalled to hear that there has been a huge rise in the number of reported cases related to domestic violence in the state of Karnataka during the lockdown months of March and April. She stated that women need to feel empowered to speak out about this issue and also mentioned that men too are victims of it. Shanvi insisted that everyone must fight the virus together with a united front.
It is incredibly upsetting to hear of the rise in domestic violence cases around the globe. To add to the fact that these are trying times and people need to learn to coexist with each other to keep themselves and their families safe. It’s wonderful to see so many powerful celebrities raising their voices over such an upsetting issue and helping their fans and followers start a conversation. We hope that with time things will get easier and anybody who is undergoing domestic violence, regardless of gender, can come forward and speak up about it. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
