Because when we talk about empowerment, what affects us most are the stories.

不思議なもので エンパワメントについての話をすると

So I want to begin with an everyday story.

エンパワメントの議論そのものより

What is it really like to be a young woman in India?

一人一人の物語のほうが 胸に強く響きます

Now, I've spent the last 27 years of my life in India,

ですから 私もありふれた体験談から はじめたいと思います

lived in three small towns, two major cities, and I've had several experiences.

インドで若い女性でいることは 一体どういうことでしょうか

When I was seven, a private tutor who used to come home to teach me mathematics molested me

私は 今まで生きてきた27年間ずっと

He would put his hand up my skirt.

インドで過ごしてきました ３つの小さな街と

He put his hand up my skirt and told me he knew how to make me feel good.

２つの大都市に住んだことがあります

At 17, a boy from my high school circulated an email

様々なことを体験してきました

Detailing all the sexually aggressive things he could do to me because I didn't pay attention to him.

私が７才の時のことです

At 19, I helped a friend whose parents had forcefully married her to an older man escape an abusive marriage

私に算数を教えに来ていた家庭教師が

At 21, when my friend and I were walking down the road one afternoon

私にいたずらをしました

A man pulled down his pants and masturbated in front of us.

彼は私のスカートの中に手を入れたのです

We called people for help, and nobody came.

彼はスカートの中に手を入れて こう言いました

At 25, when I was walking home one evening, two men on a motorcycle attacked me.

「気持ちよくさせてあげるよ」

I spent two nights in the hospital recovering from trauma and injuries.

私が17才の時 同じ高校の男子学生が

So throughout my life, I've seen women — family, friends, colleagues

一通のメールをばらまきました

— live through these experiences, and they seldom talk about it.

そこには 彼が私にやりたい 性的行為が

So in simple words, life in India is not easy.

こと細かに記されていたのです

But today I'm not going to talk to you about this fear.

私が彼を相手にしなかった腹いせでした

I'm going to talk to you about an interesting path of learning that this fear took me on.

19才の時 私は友人が 家庭内暴力から

So, what happened one night in December 2012 changed my life.

逃げる手伝いをしました 友人は両親が決めた年上の男性との

So a young girl, a 23-year-old student,

結婚を強いられていました

boarded a bus in Delhi with her male friend.

21才の時 私と友人が 道端を歩いていた

There were six men on the bus, young men who you might encounter every day in India,

ある昼下がりのこと

and the chilling account of what followed was played over and over again in the Indian and international media.

一人の男性がズボンを下ろして

This girl was raped repeatedly,

目の前でマスターベーションをはじめました

forcefully penetrated with a blunt rod, beaten, bitten, and left to die.

私たちが助けを求めても 誰も来てくれませんでした

Her friend was gagged, attacked, and knocked unconscious.

25才の時 私が夕方に帰宅する途中

She died on the 29th of December.

バイクに乗った二人組の男性が私を襲いました

And at a time when most of us here were preparing to welcome the new year, India plunged into darkness.

私は ２日間 入院して

For the first time in our history, men and women in Indian cities woke up to the horrific truth about the true state of women in the country.

心と体の傷を治療しました

Now, like many other young women, I was absolutely terrified.

私が今まで生きてきて 出会った女性たち—

I couldn't believe that something like this could happen in a national capital.

家族や友人や同僚は

I was angry and I was frustrated, but most of all, I felt utterly, completely helpless.

このような目に遭っていても

But really, what do you do, right?

それについて ほどんど話そうとしません

Some write blogs, some ignore it, some join protests.

インドで生きることは 容易ではないのです

I did all of it. In fact, that was what everyone was doing two years ago.

ですが 今日お話しするのは この恐怖についてではありません

So the media was filled with stories about all the horrific deeds that Indian men are capable of.

この恐怖から私が得た 興味深い

They were compared to animals, sexually repressed beasts.

学びの過程についてお話ししようと思います

In fact, so alien and unthinkable was this event in an Indian mind

2012年12月のある夜の出来事は

that the response from the Indian media, public and politicians proved one point:

私の人生を変えました

No one knew what to do. And no one wanted to be responsible for it.

23才の若い女子学生が

In fact, these were a few insensitive comments which were made in the media by prominent people

男友達と一緒に デリーでバスに乗りました

in response to sexual violence against women in general.

バスには６人の男性がいました

So the first one is made by a member of parliament,

インドのどこにでもいるような 若い男性達です

the second one is made by a spiritual leader,

この後に続く衝撃的な出来事は

and the third one was actually the defendants' lawyer when the girl was fighting for her life and she passed away.

インド国内だけでなく

Now, as a woman watching this day after day, I was tired.

世界中のメディアで 繰り返し報道されました

So as a writer and gender activist, I have written extensively on women,

その女性は繰り返しレイプされ

but this time, I realized it was different,

鈍器をむりやり体内に突っ込まれ

because a part of me realized I was a part of that young woman too, and I decided I wanted to change this.

殴られ 噛みつかれたあげく 置き去りにされました

So I did something spontaneous, hasty.

彼女の男友達は口をふさがれて暴行され

I logged on to a citizen journalism platform called iReport,

気を失うまで殴られました

and I recorded a video talking about what the scene was like in Bangalore.

彼女は12月29日に亡くなりました

I talked about how I felt, I talked about the ground realities,

ここにいるほとんどの人達が

and I talked about the frustrations of living in India.

新年を祝う準備をしていた時です

In a few hours, the blog was shared widely, and comments and thoughts poured in from across the world.

インドは暗黒の時期に突入しました

In that moment, a few things occurred to me.

国の歴史において初めて

One, technology was always at hand for many young women like me.

インドの都市にいる男性も女性も

Two, like me, most young women hardly use it to express their views.

恐ろしい事実に気がついたのです

Three, I realized for the first time that my voice mattered.

この国の女性が置かれている状況についてです

So in the months that followed, I covered a trail of events in Bangalore

さて 他の大勢の若い女性と同様に

which had no space in the mainstream news.

私も恐怖におびえていました

In Cubbon Park, which is a big park in Bangalore

このようなことが

I gathered with over 100 others when groups of young men came forward to wear skirts

首都で起こるなんて 信じられませんでした

to prove that clothing does not invite rape.

私はやり場の無い怒りを覚えましたが

When I reported about these events, I felt I had charge

なにより無力感に打ちのめされていました

I felt like I had a channel to release all the emotions I had inside me.

でも本当に 何ができるのでしょう？

I attended the town hall march when students held up signs saying "Kill them, hang them."

ブログを書く人もいれば 事件を無視する人もいます

"You wouldn't do this to your mothers or sisters."

抗議デモに参加する人もいます

I went to a candlelight vigil where citizens gathered together to talk about the issue of sexual violence openly,

私も全てやりました 実際 これらは２年前に皆が

and I recorded a lot of blogs in response to how worrying the situation was in India at that point.

やっていたことです

Now, the reactions confused me.

メディアは インドの男性が犯しうる

While supportive comments poured in from across the world, as did vicious ones.

恐ろしい所業で

So some called me a hypocrite. Some called me a victim, a rape apologist.

埋め尽くされました

Some even said I had a political motive.

彼らを獣に例えて

But this one comment kind of describes what we are discussing here today.

性に飢えた野獣だと言われました

But I was soon to learn that this was not all.

実は インドの常識では あまりに奇想で思いもよらない

As empowered as I felt with the new liberty that this citizen journalism channel gave me

事件だったので

I found myself in an unfamiliar situation.

インドのメディアや大衆 政治家の反応から

So sometime last August I logged onto Facebook and I was looking through my news feed

たどり着いたのは こうでした

And I noticed there was a link that was being shared by my friends.

誰もどうしたら良いか分からない

I clicked on the link; it led me back to a report uploaded by an American girl called Michaela Cross.

そして誰も責任を取りたくないのです

The report was titled, "India: The story you never wanted to hear."

無神経なコメントも いくつかありました

And in this report, she recounted her firsthand account of facing sexual harassment in India.

これらがメディアを通じて

She wrote, "There is no way to prepare for the eyes, the eyes that every day stared with such entitlement at my body,

著名人たちが出したコメントです

with no change of expression whether I met their gaze or not.

女性への性暴力に対する 一般的な反応です

Walking to the fruit seller's or the tailor's, I got stares so sharp that they sliced away bits of me piece by piece."

まず一番上のコメントは国会議員 ［女性のレイプなら分かるが 子供への虐待は許し難い］

She called India a traveler's heaven and a woman's hell.

二番目は宗教指導者 ［被害者の女性は犯人の 兄弟に電話すべきだった］

She said she was stalked, groped, and masturbated at.

三番目は なんと被告の弁護士によるものです ［デリーのレイプ被害者に非がある］

Now, late that evening, the report went viral. It was on news channels across the world.

それも被害者の女性が 懸命に死と闘って

Everyone was discussing it. It had over a million views,

亡くなった時のことです

a thousand comments and shares, and I found myself witnessing a very similar thing.

さて この状況を 来る日も来る日も見ていた私は

The media was caught in this vicious cycle of opinion and outburst and no outcome whatsoever.

うんざりしてしまいました

So that night, as I sat wondering how I should respond, I found myself filled with doubt.

私はライターとして ジェンダー活動家として

You see, as a writer, I approached this issue as an observer,

女性について幅広く書いてきました

as an Indian, I felt embarrassment and disbelief,

けれども今回は 何かが違うと気付きました

and as an activist, I looked at it as a defender of rights,

被害に遭った若い女性は

but as a citizen journalist, I suddenly felt very vulnerable.

私だったかもしれないのです

I mean, here she was, a young woman who was using a channel to talk about her experience just as I was, and yet I felt unsettled.

それから私はこの状況を変えようと決め

You see, no one ever tells you that true empowerment comes from giving yourself the permission to think and act.

衝動的に すぐさま行動を起こしました

Empowerment is often made to sound as if it's an ideal, it's a wonderful outcome.

iReportという市民ジャーナリストの プラットフォームに

When we talk about empowerment, we often talk about giving people access to materials, giving them access to tools

ログオンしました

But the thing is, empowerment is an emotion. It's a feeling.

そして ある動画を作成したのです

The first step to empowerment is to give yourself the authority, the key to independent will

バンガロールがどんな場所か

and for women everywhere, no matter who we are or where we come from, that is the most difficult step.

私がどう感じたか

We fear the sound of our own voice, for it means admission, but it is this that gives us the power to change our environment.

現地の実情について語り

Now in this situation where I was faced with so many different kinds of realities,

インドで生きることの難しさについて話しました

I was unsure how to judge, because I didn't know what it would mean for me.

数時間後には ブログは広く拡散されていました

I feared to judge because I didn't know what it would be if I didn't support the same view as this girl.

そして沢山のコメントやアイデアが

I didn't know what it would mean for me if I was challenging someone else's truth. But yet, it was simple.

世界中から集まってきました

I had to make a decision: Should I speak up or should I stay quiet?

その瞬間 いくつか閃くものがありました

So after a lot of thought, I recorded a video blog in response, and I told Michaela,

一つ目は 私のような若い女性でも テクノロジーを

well, there are different sides to India, and I also tried to explain that things would be okay

身近に使えるということ

and I expressed my regret for what she had faced.

二つ目は 若い女性のほとんどが

And a few days later, I was invited to talk on air with her, and for the first time,

それを使って自分の考えを述べることは めったにないということ

I reached out to this girl who I had never met, who was so far away, but yet I felt so close to.

三つ目は この時初めて

Since this report came to light, more young people than ever were discussing sexual harassment on the campus,

自分が声を上げることが 大事なんだと気付きました

and the university that Michaela belonged to gave her the assistance she needed.

そこで それから数ヶ月間

The university even took measures to train its students to equip them with the skills

私はバンガロールでの活動を いくつか取材しました

that they need to confront challenges such as harassment, and for the first the time, I felt I wasn't alone.

主要なニュースでは 取り上げられないものばかりです

You see, if there's anything that I've learned as an active citizen journalist over the past few years,

バンガロール市内にある カボンパークという大きな公園で

it is our dire lack as a society to actively find avenues where our voices can be heard.

100名を超える人達を集めました

We don't realize that when we are standing up,

若い男性グループに スカートをはいてもらい

we are not just standing up as individuals, we are standing up for our communities, our friends, our peers.

レイプを誘発するのは 服装ではないと

Most of us say that women are denied their rights, but the truth is, oftentimes, women deny themselves these rights.

証明するためでした

In a recent survey in India, 95 percent of the women who work in I.T., aviation, hospitality and call centers

このような活動について報告した時

Said they didn't feel safe returning home alone after work in the late hours or in the evening.

自分に力を感じました 私には伝達手段があって

In Bangalore, where I come from, this number is 85 percent.

自分の内なる感情を 解き放つことができたのです

In rural areas in India, if anything is to go by the recent gang rapes in Badaun

役所のデモ行進にも参加しました

and acid attacks in Odisha and Aligarh are supposed to go by, we need to act really soon.

学生たちが掲げるプラカードには

Don't get me wrong, the challenges that women will face in telling their stories is real

「やつらを殺せ やつらを吊るせ」

But we need to start pursuing and trying to identify mediums

「自分の母親や姉妹にも同じことができるのか」 と書かれていました

to participate in our system and not just pursue the media blindly.

キャンドルライトの集会にも参加しました

Today, more women than ever are standing up and questioning the government in India, and this is a result of that courage.

市民が集まって

There is a sixfold increase in women reporting harassment,

性暴力の問題について率直に語り合いました

and the government passed the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act in 2013 to protect women against sexual assault.

当時の インドの状況が

As I end this talk, I just want to say that I know a lot of us in this room have our secrets

どんなに憂慮すべきものであるかを踏まえて

but let us speak up. Let us fight the shame and talk about it.

沢山のブログを書きました

It could be a platform, a community, your loved one,

［大都市と外国に住んでいる姉妹と従姉妹がいますが あなたが訴えるような苦境など聞いたことがありません］

whoever or whatever you choose, but let us speak up.

このような反応には 困ってしまいました

The truth is, the end to this problem begins with us.

世界中から支持してくれる コメントが寄せられましたが

Thank you.

悪意のあるコメントもまた然りでした