Illustration/Uday Mohite

The Harvey Weinstein case has opened up a Pandora's box of sexual harassment cases. Many women are recalling cases of harassment that happened decades ago, because then we would probably have been dismissed or punished for it. The situation is not very different now, yet women are risking making these revelations, so that their oppressors don't get away with it. There are naming and shaming lists going around. Of course, sexual harassment must be stopped, but it is worth reflecting on the most effective way to do so. Naming and shaming the oppressors may or may not achieve its goal: we must be prepared for the consequences, which may include revenge, physical attacks, acid attacks, divorce, job transfers, or worse. Obviously, it is very difficult to prove such private experiences, and women's groups are divided on whether such lists are justified. Yet, much of the discussion on social media in India is questioning the women accusers, rather than the men accused.