“Instead of telling me how to deal with abuse, why don’t you teach my husband not to be abusive?” The argument was cogent, thought Anjana Goswami who was in Pune in 2012 taking a session on . The point raised by one of the women from one of the underprivileged communities compelled her to rethink the constructs of her workshop. The woman continued, “All the information you give encourages us to escape our abuser.
But what if my husband hits me late at night? Are the streets safe for me at that time? Will anyone answer my call and help me?” The volley of words, though hard-hitting, made complete sense, Anjana had to agree. Domestic abuse was a multi-layered problem, beyond the grasp of well-worded leaflets. And the only solution, she deduced, lay in a mentality shift.
But whose mentality, the question begged to be asked. Historically, women have been on the margins of the patriarchal order, being instructed on how to go about life. But why does the brunt of safety fall solely upon women? Don’t you think it is time to steer the conversation to one inclined towards how men can become allies? This reckoning compelled Anjana to join the Equal Community Foundation (ECF) — a Pune-based non-profit that is championing precisely this narrative.
Through their work with adolescent boys, ECF ensures that are ingrained right from the outset, thus encouraging young boys to challenge outdated power dynamics. This is achieved through curriculums that transcend the boardroom, rea.