(Part 1/3) “When I called my parents to let them know about what had happened, they said, ‘You must have been confused, maybe it is only what you think and not what happened. It is all in your head. Maybe you over-analyzed and over-read the situation.’ The whole thing was shut then and there but it had irreversibly scarred me. I know. I still remember the day.

That day I was home alone in Chitwan. My parents and my brother had come to Kathmandu. It was 4 in the evening because I remember. The uncle had come asking for my parents. I told him that my parents were not home. He asked to come inside. I welcomed him because he was my father’s colleague and would visit our home frequently. There was not much for me to think about. I asked him to take a seat and went inside to make tea. I served him tea and took a seat and we both exchanged pleasantries. The uncle was a professor and he knew that my exams were near so he started asking me about it. I was talking to him normally. I do not know the moment when he started touching me. At the moment, I did not know what to make of it. There is a way of showing affection in our families that includes physical proximity and touching, so I could not understand what was going on. I could not read the signals nor could I see the signs that something sinister was happening. He finished his tea and he said, ‘If you have math problems, then you can ask me now when I am here and I will help you.” I told him that I was okay and I took my tea into the kitchen and came outside and took a seat. It was then he grabbed my chest. That was when it all became clear to me. I understood what was going on. I jumped up and asked him to leave. He said, ‘If you are going to tell on me, I am not going to leave.’ That scared me so much that I ran to my neighbours house. From there, I called my parents.

I am the kind of person who is not afraid to react to harm coming my way. I act to the situation instantaneously. If someone is harassing me sexually or otherwise, I am the kind of person not afraid to throw a few punches. At least, that was what I had thought. But when I had to go through such an incident I froze. It was a moment of anger, disgust, and total confusion. That made me think of younger girls who are naive and do not understand the lurking evil. How would they protect themselves? How would they protect themselves when their own families do not listen?”