Was Salman Khan #insensitive or #misquoted? Those were the two rival social media campaigns launched after the Bollywood star made a grotesque analogy, saying his schedule during the filming of Sultan was so gruelling he felt like “a raped woman”.
Outrage was swift, especially so in a country where there has been widespread discussion about rape and sexual attacks against women. Khan has not yet apologised, although, in the interview, he did immediately realise his mistake and backtrack.
So was he insensitive? Yes, he took his comment back. But the insensitivity is that he said it in the first place. There is an attitude in parts of Indian society that doesn’t see the seriousness of sexual assault. To a large degree, that atmosphere aids rapists, because it means their victims are afraid to come forward or find their complaints discussed. A public figure of Khan’s stature should know better.
