Even though it is 21st century, women are nowhere safe. Neither in public places nor in their houses. It breaks our heart every time when women come forward to share how they were molested in public areas. It shows how our women are unsafe in this world. But recently, we stumbled on such a positive story of Nishant Shah, who confronted the harasser and taught him a lesson.
Nishant Shah, a Dean at a university in the Netherlands was on a flight back home when a female co-passenger requested him to switch his aisle seat for her middle seat. Initially, Shah politely refused but later on, when he realized what was happening, he swung into action.
He realized how the other passenger was molesting her.
While talking about his viral post, he mentioned to TBI:
“I saw him touch her, caress her, and pinch her, and when he saw me watching him, he smiled at me. The act was bad enough, but he also smiled because he thought that as a man I would condone the act, that I would appreciate his audacity, that he would get away with it. And I was just so angry, looking at her horrified face,”
While sharing the details of what happened next, he mentioned in his viral post,
“Instead of hastily correcting himself, he gives me a grin – the kind that belongs to the bottom of a pond – and winks at me as he very obviously pinches her. In that split second that he does that and she gasps, even before I can think of anything to say, some involuntary muscles take over. I lean across the person next to me, and with a wrist action that makes me consider a future career in professional golfing, I slap the bro hard on his smug face. It was a slap so hard, it hurt my hand. His designer hipster glasses fly off his face..”
Even when the cabin crew got involved, the molester threatened to file an official complaint. But Nishant stood his ground. Soon, other passengers along with the crew member expressed their support for Shah, assuring him that even if the police get involved, they would back him up.
While applauding the efforts of Nishant to stand up to the harasser, a senior purser said:
“But if it (police complaint) happens, I am going to tell you sir, that the entire crew is going to come with you, and this young lady, if she wants, can also join us. I want to thank you for doing this, and I am glad that you did. My hands are tied, but yours aren’t and we are very proud of this. I don’t want you to worry but I want you to be prepared.”
Nishant further adds how two other passengers not only gave a pat on his back and assured him that they would also go with him to the cops. Realizing the consequences, the molester refused to file the complaint.
While we wish the girl would have filed the complaint against this molester, we still don’t want to judge her for her action. At IFORHER, we are so proud of Nishant and wish his inspiring action will give courage to many more to stand up to the molesters!
Here’s his inspiring Facebook that went viral.