From silence to strength

I want to share something very personal. I’ve never talked about it publicly before, but I know that if even one woman feels less alone after reading this, it’s worth it.

This happened a couple of years ago, when I was working in a well-known company. It was a proud moment for me, I had worked hard to get there. My family was happy, and so was I. But soon, things started to change.

There was a senior colleague. At first, he seemed friendly, too friendly. He would always try to sit near me in meetings, find excuses to talk to me alone, or message me late at night. At first, I thought maybe I was imagining things. He hadn’t done anything wrong, right?

Then one day, during lunch, he “jokingly” said something about how I looked in a certain kurta I wore. It was uncomfortable, but I laughed it off. I didn’t want to create an issue. From that day on, the comments became more frequent and more personal. Sometimes he would stand too close, touch my back while talking, or ask questions that felt too private. I started to feel unsafe.

I told myself to ignore it. I didn’t want people to think I was “too sensitive” or “trying to get attention.” I was scared people would say, “Itna kya hua, itna toh chalta hai.” I needed the job, so I kept quiet.

But inside, I was breaking.

I started losing sleep. I would wake up anxious and dread going to work. I used to be someone who loved sharing ideas in meetings, but now I stay silent. I was always tired, mentally and emotionally. I stopped dressing up. I even stopped smiling.

One day, I broke down in the office bathroom. I locked the door and cried for a long time. That’s when I knew something had to change. If I stayed quiet any longer, I would lose myself completely.

That night, I talked to one of my friends. She held my hand and said something I’ll never forget: “Tu galat nahi hai. Galat woh hai jo tujhe uncomfortable feel karwa raha hai.” Those words gave me strength.

I found a therapist online and started talking to her once a week. I didn’t even realize how much I was holding in until I started speaking freely. She helped me understand that what I was going through was not normal and not my fault.

Eventually, I built up the courage to file a complaint. HR took it seriously, and after a full investigation, the man was removed from the team. I know this doesn’t happen in every company, but I was lucky that mine did something about it.

But my healing didn’t end there. I took time off work. I did yoga. I spent more time with my parents. I cried when I needed to, and slowly, I started feeling like myself again.

Today, I work in a different company with a team that respects me and values my work. But more importantly, I respect myself now. I don’t laugh off things that make me uncomfortable. I don’t stay silent just to “fit in.”

So why am I sharing all this?

Because maybe you are going through something similar. And maybe you feel like you’re alone. But you’re not.

You are not imagining it. You are not overreacting. And you are not weak. If someone is crossing a line, you have every right to say no. You have the right to speak up, to leave, to complain, or to ask for help. And if you feel scared, reach out to someone. A friend, a sister, a counselor, anyone. Just don’t carry the pain all by yourself.

I carried mine for too long. But now, I speak about it freely, with pride, not because what happened was okay, but because I survived it. And I grew.

And so will you.