When we hear the word “violence,” a sudden fear rises in our hearts, especially for the women who face it every day. The cruelty becomes even deeper when a woman does not realise that what she is experiencing is wrong or remains silent because fear has taken away her courage. I want to ask a simple yet painful question: are we truly safe in this country, in the place we visit, or even within our own homes?

It is a difficult question to answer. On one side, we see girls achieving their dreams, breaking barriers, and reaching the goals they once imagined. But on the other side, countless women and girls continue to suffer in silence. So, on what basis can we confidently say that we are safe?

On 25 November, the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” is observed all over the world. Countries try to raise awareness about this issue because they know it is wrong and believe something must be done to stop it.

The United Nations (UN) set this day to highlight the challenge girls and women face everywhere. Every year, they launch the “16 days of activism” campaign, encouraging individuals, communities, and government to take real action against violence. This year, the focus is on “Unite to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls”, drawing attention to the dangers women face online. These campaigns remind us that ending violence is not something to think about for just one day—it is something we must work on every day.   

But what we can do is stand beside those who are facing this horrific reality, those who are too afraid to speak, too scared to seek help, or too alone to raise their voices. Even the smallest step or the smallest act of support may save a woman’s life. And sometimes, that is where real change begins.  

A brutal reality: We are failing the women who need us most

Many countries are making efforts to reduce violence against women. Sadly, we still do very little, and as a result, countless women continue to suffer in silence. Fear, shame, and social pressure often stop them from speaking out. 

In rural areas, the situation is even more heartbreaking. Almost half of women there face some form of violence, yet most of them cannot tell anyone what they are going through. There are barely any NGOs or organisations working for them, and even when a woman gathers the courage to speak to her parents, she is often told to stay silent and adjust. That is the brutal reality—her own parents cannot support her when she needs them most.  Many remain quiet for the sake of their children, hoping they will have a better life one day. All the pain and suffering fall on the women alone. And when a woman becomes a victim of such violence, it leaves a lifelong trauma that she can never fully forget.

Many days ago, I saw a news report about a woman who was violently abused by her husband, and that violence eventually took her life. A whole life ended there. And the saddest part is that this is not just one story. There are countless stories like hers. Each of them makes us afraid, afraid of what might happen to us whenever we step outside, or even inside our own home.  Every day the fear walks with us.  

I see this as our failure. We are not doing enough, not brave enough, and not responsible enough to take the steps needed to protect women. Until that changes, their suffering will continue.

Real change begins when man take responsibility

I believe that if we can properly educate the men in our society, this problem will naturally begin to decrease. Most of this violence is caused by men against innocent women who face it regularly. Our society often refuses to see anything wrong in these acts, and because of that silence, men feel even more powerful and continue behaving in unacceptable ways. 

We must educate men so that they can understand what they are doing and how deeply their actions damage a woman’s mental and emotional health. No one tells them that it is wrong, no one stops them, and that silence becomes support for violence. But if we raise our voices, if we speak out and if we find the courage to say “no”, then hopefully we will not continue to witness these injustices. 

Imagine when a child sees their mother being abused by their own father—how do they feel? It deeply affects their mental health. But before committing such an act, no one considers its impact on the child. From this environment, they learn and normalise this heinous behaviour, and later, they may repeat it in the future because it is what they witnessed at home. And this cycle continues unless we break it. 

In conclusion, violence does not only harm women but also it damages an entire society. Even after repeated awareness, this cruelty continues, but we still have to protect those who suffer. Many women lose their lives because their cries remain unheard. Whether others support us or not, we must raise our voices. If we cannot stand for ourselves, that becomes our greatest failure. So, speak up, resist, and say no to this injustice. Take action, because that is how we protect ourselves. Others may remain silent, but never let anyone silence you.