Dia Mirza: I faced a stalker when I was younger

Dia Mirza

Actress-producer Dia Mirza has recounted her younger days when she was stalked.

"When I was younger, back home in Hyderabad even I faced a stalker. I confronted him and asked him his name. That moment, the boy didn't have an answer. One should never ignore or be afraid of reporting or calling out a harasser. There is no shame in doing so. It empowers us with the ability to address the problem and more often than not data indicates that it makes a big difference. The harassment does stop," she said.

She feels that safety is not just a law and order issue. "It is much more, with its long and firm roots in the mind-sets and the play of patriarchy. The manifestations of violence can take as horrific a turn as rape. It renders me speechless to hear how young children also fall prey to most heinous of violence and violations," added the former beauty queen.

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