Kathmandu, September 22
Content creator Princy Khatiwada has spoken publicly about an alleged incident of harassment involving her and her twin sister, Prisma, saying they faced victim-blaming when they sought help from police.
In a video posted on Instagram, Khatiwada said she and her sister were allegedly harassed by two men. The video has been blurred and includes symbolic images. It does not clearly identify where the incident took place.
“We all know that two boys harassed us,” Khatiwada said in the video.
According to Khatiwada, the two men had earlier posted a video of the incident on social media. She said the video was later removed because it had not been blurred.
‘Why were you wearing such short clothes?’
Khatiwada said she and her sister initially tried to deal with the situation themselves but realised they could not confront the two men.
“We could not fight with them, but simply ignoring it did not seem right either,” she said.
They then contacted the police. A police van arrived and took the two men into custody, according to Khatiwada.
She said police later questioned her and her sister about what had happened, and they explained the incident in detail. However, Khatiwada said they were shocked and upset by comments allegedly made by police during the interaction.
“Why were you wearing such short clothes?” she quoted the police as asking.
She said the remark appeared to place responsibility for the alleged harassment on the clothes she and her sister were wearing.
“What was our fault? What was wrong with the clothes we were wearing?” she said.
Khatiwada said she and her sister decided to speak about the incident on social media after becoming dissatisfied with the police response.
Home minister intervenes
Khatiwada also said Home Minister Sudan Gurung commented on their social media post after they made the incident public.
“We then spoke with the home minister,” she said. “He immediately took action on the issue.”
According to Khatiwada, following the home minister’s intervention, the case was taken up by the Gaushala police circle and further action was initiated. She did not provide details about the action taken against the alleged perpetrators. She said she would share further information as the process moves forward.
Khatiwada has particularly objected to the alleged remarks about their clothing, arguing that a person’s clothes cannot justify harassment.
“What kind of action should the government take so that this becomes a precedent, so that no victim has to face victim-blaming because of what they are wearing?” she said.
She also called on police officers and other public officials to respond to such complaints responsibly and accountably.
‘If you face injustice, take action’
Khatiwada said many people commented on their social media post saying they had experienced similar incidents.
“If you face such injustice, take action,” she said.
She acknowledged that not all police officers respond negatively and urged people facing harassment to seek police assistance.
“Dial 101 and call the police,” she said.
At the same time, she urged victims not to remain silent if they are blamed instead of being supported.
“Do not be afraid to speak about your experience on social media,” she said, adding that public attention had helped their complaint reach the home minister.
‘Harassment is harassment’
Khatiwada said harassment should not be dismissed based on its perceived severity. She said inappropriate remarks or gestures made with an improper intention should not simply be tolerated.
The incident has also drawn negative comments online, with some users arguing that the women’s clothing contributed to what happened. Khatiwada rejected that argument.
“The clothes were not short. Your thinking is short,” she said.
