The lady seen in a controversial viral video (where a group of young women were told that the way they dressed was an invitation for rape) has apologised on social media after receiving a spate of hate messages.
In a Facebook post, the middle-aged lady featured in the video issues an unconditional apology.
"I extend an unconditional apology to all the girls. In hind sight, I realise, I was harsh and incorrect in my statement. If any, I should have offered my opinion in private. I was concerned however, I realise that I should have been protective and progressive in my outlook and not conservative and regressive.
As a wife, sister and a mother and more importantly as a woman, I value ever [sic] woman's dignity. Once again, I profusely apologise to all women who's sentiments have been hurt."
Since the incident, which recent reports suggest took place in a Gurugram shopping complex, the young women involved Facebooked, Tweeted, and Instagrammed #ApologiseAunty. According to the women, the older lady had spoken to them at a restaurant earlier, telling them "You should get raped" for the clothes they were wearing. The hashtag, along with the video shared of the young women accosting the older lady, swiftly went viral.
As the middle-aged lady received widespread condemnation for dress-shaming the women, her name and social media accounts were leaked leading to a spate of hateful messages, death threats, rape threats, and trolling — many of which were by other women.
In a now blank Instagram account, the lady has only a single post up, with the words: "I apologised. Please stop all this."
Her Instagram stories from Wednesday are entirely composed of screenshots of messages she has received and sent. These include death threats, rape threats, obscene images that were automatically censored by Instagram, and abuse.
These messages, some of which were sent by other women, included" "U should be gang raped first", "u must be killed or thrown out of India", "people should spit on your face". In some, the lady has added her appeals for peace over the screenshot in purple text.
In the original viral video — which did not include a clip of the lady's alleged statement to the girls saying "You should get raped" —the uploader, a 30-year-copywriter named Shivani Gupta says at one point: "I will make your life a living hell if you don't apologise, I promise you that. I will make you viral."
In the middle of the stories, the lady shares another appeal saying:
"My previous stories clearly shows that this is our youth, our future. I may die soon but you have to lie ina society full of such people among you. Bring change from within you.
Stop hate comments please. I apologise."
As of writing, Shivani has yet to respond to the lady's apology.
