Actress Claims She Was 'Raped' After Man Looks at Her: 'He Deserves To Rot'
The #MeToo movement’s foundational principle of calling out sexual harassment and assault is a necessary and noble one — however, it seems some women aren’t quite clear on the definition of a sexual assault.
Last week, Bollywood actress Esha Gupta went on a Twitter rampage, claiming she felt she was “raped” by hotelier Rohit Vig after she saw him “staring” at her during a dinner outing.
“If a woman like me can feel violated and unsafe in the county, then idk what girls around feel,” Gupta tweeted. “Even with two securities around I felt getting raped. #RohitVig you’re a swine. he deserves to rot.”
If a woman like me can feel violated and unsafe in the county, then idk what girls around feel. Even with two securities around I felt getting raped.. #RohitVig you’re a swine.. he deserves to rot
— Esha Gupta (@eshagupta2811) July 5, 2019
She followed up by saying men like Vig “are the reason women don’t feel safe,” adding that the “eyes and stares” from the hotel operations manager “was enough” to warrant her bizarre claim.
Men like Rohit vig, are the reason women don’t feel safe any where. You around me with your eyes and stares was enough
— Esha Gupta (@eshagupta2811) July 5, 2019
The next day, Gupta addressed concerns some of her Twitter followers raised, who asked if Vig did anything inappropriate to her. And guess what? He didn’t.
“ROHIT VIG- the man who thinks staring at a woman all night n making her uncomfortable is ok. He did not touch me or say anything. But throughout stare. Not as a fan, not Cus m an actor, but because m a Woman. Where are we safe? Is being a woman a curse!” she tweeted.
ROHIT VIG- the man who thinks staring at a woman all night n making her uncomfortable is ok. He didnot touch me or say anything. But throughout stare. Not as a fan, not Cus m an actor, but because m a Woman. Where are we safe? Is being a woman a curse! pic.twitter.com/gRXnqZ21Mu
— Esha Gupta (@eshagupta2811) July 6, 2019
A man staring at a woman is not even remotely close to “rape,” and it’s only sexual harassment in certain cases. Mostly, it makes women uncomfortable and vulnerable.
Sure, there are guys out there who stare long enough to be considered creepy; it happens all the time. And if that’s the case, they need to be confronted and told to stop.
Gupta has every right to publicly express how awkward of an encounter it was for her, but to equate his staring to “rape” is wrong and false. Claiming something like that is sexual assault only serves to diminish women who have been the victims of sex crimes.
Many Twitter users called out Gupta for her serious accusation.
“Have you at least reported it to security there or told him directly?? If not, Putting this in social media definitely feel a cheap publicity stunt!!” one person said.
Have you at least reported it to security there or told him directly?? If not, Putting this in social media definitely feel a cheap publicity stunt!!
— ᴍᴀᴛᴛ ᴍᴜʀᴅøᴄᴋ⚖️? (@4HellsKitchen) July 6, 2019
Another brought up the two security guards Gupta mentioned were in the vicinity.
U had 2 securities around and still u had no courage to confront him. U should have told him at least once to stop staring at me. Did u do that ? No Now ,Stop crying on Twitter and never ever try to teach anyone to be bold. So called Roll Model celeb.?
— Manisha Rathi (@manisharathi) July 6, 2019
With great power comes great responsibility. The #MeToo movement is a force to be reckoned with, but it doesn’t give women the right to accuse men of something far more serious than what really took place.
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