Women are just as much to blame: Bollywood actor on sexual harassment

Tisca Chopra feels women put themselves in a vulnerable position by becoming available to perpetrators

Since Hollywood's most renown producer, Harvey Weinstein has been accused publicly of sexual harassment by various A-listers, many other actors have given their two cents on the matter.

While some have shared their own personal experience, others condemned the act, citing it the influence of power and horrific.

Not Tisca Chopra.

The Bollywood actor, who worked with Aamir Khan in Taare Zameen Par, recently shared her thoughts with one of the publications in India.



Tisca feels that women only put themselves in that vulnerable position by becoming available to the perpetrator.

"I'm not even sure that I'm going to say the thing that you want me to say. I'm going to be very categorical when I say that women are just as much to blame, because they put themselves in those vulnerable positions. Why do these women go to hotel rooms? Do they not fear for their personal safety? Have they not heard of people's reputations, and why do they engage with those men?" Tisca Chopra told The Print.

Tisca begged to ask questions to the women victims for not being cautious about the person they are going out with. "Why do they not say "N-O:no" point blank? And why be alone with a person like that? Every human being is hardwired to protect themselves. Self-preservation is the biggest instinct human beings have, why do they lose that? They think that somehow they will be the one that will duck the pattern and will escape. Knowing someone's reputation, why would you put yourself in that position with them?" she asked.



"Being a woman, I would say that first of all, protect yourself. Don't put yourself in that position. The more women start saying flat-out "no"s, the more these men will understand that this is not the way, this is not going to work. But a woman goes and says yes, and so it gives them the authority to say "If this one won't do it, then that one will do it," or "I'll take that one, I'll take this one". So, you know, those choices need to stop becoming available to these men. It just has to be absolutely not possible," Tisca added.

The actor also talked about the idea of consent, saying that a woman's "no" is not considered as denial unless it is said in a way that fully conveys the message that she is not interested.

"What is happening in Hollywood is largely 30 years of somebody becoming a blatant predator. People, by and large, say "chance maaro, how can it hurt to ask". Unless somebody says "no", and the kind of "no" you say, and the manner in which you say it should convey that it is completely unacceptable to even ask this question," Tisca said.



"Don't let your career hang in the balance. Work hard on your acting, take a little longer to build your career, don't take any shortcuts," she added.

Tisca's views on women's consent and sexual harassment sparked controversy, as many on the social media who slammed the actor for blaming the victim instead of the culprits who without any fear hunt for their preys out in the open.

https://twitter.com/karishmau/status/920515740326907904

https://twitter.com/unlovdfatminist/status/920603657917177856

https://twitter.com/sv_052/status/920644659633799169

https://twitter.com/IshmeetNagpal/status/920631139005591552

https://twitter.com/Paromit50329397/status/920607213290446848

https://twitter.com/hbarspage/status/920371568785571840

https://twitter.com/unlovdfatminist/status/920603907998363648

Tisca, no sweetie. Just no.

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