Actors Equity Bangladsh launched legal wing for TV artists, Actor Sadia Jahan Prova spoke of her fear of journalists and expressed how she is trying to maintain distance from journalist. Prova’s recent legal notice regarding the publication of a decades-old intimate video was also mentioned.
She said, “When I was a child, I was afraid of getting hurt, because my mother would scold me if she found out. Now, even if I am physically abused, I try to hold it in, as my biggest fear right now is what if journalists find out – What will happen?
According to her, she recently had an unsettling encounter with a reporter during a ride in an Uber. The journalist, who she considered to be like a brother, touched her leg during their conversation. Prova was shocked and demanded an explanation, to which he simply replied with a half-hearted apology. Prova could sense his anger towards her, and later found out that he was a well-known journalist.
Well, Its a fact, that Prova was not just that so lucky to have a wonderful, women caring media and society surrounding her during her darkest hour! Its not that they were always there to support her, offer her kind words of encouragement, and demand justice on her behalf.
The Male dominated media and mysoginic society didn’t make things any easier. They seemed to revel in her pain, exploiting her tragedy for clicks and views. They never questioned the perpetrator, never demanded justice for her. It was as if she was the one who had done something wrong.
Prova faced not just the trauma of being a victim of revenge porn, but also the added pressure of being in the public eye and facing scrutiny from a male-dominated media industry. Her story highlights the ways in which sexism and misogyny can compound the effects of trauma and make it even harder for women to speak out and seek justice.
Two MMS video and her life had turned into a living nightmare, haunted by everyone around her. Gossip, whisper, humiliation, shame, social outcasting, everything was happening with her. Nothing happened against the perpetrator Boyfreiend who spreads that video, Nothing happened to that cowered boyfriend and ex-husband who divorced her and left her alone.
From 2011, after the private video being shared online, people looked at her with judgmental eyes, mysoginic news that make her feel that she couldn’t escape the whispers and gossip that surrounded her.
If the media had a higher representation of women journalists and was feminist in nature, Sadia Jahan Prova’s experience could have been drastically different. She may have been approached with more empathy and sensitivity, and her story may have been told with greater understanding and awareness of the issues faced by women in a male-dominated society.
With more women in positions of power within the media, there could be greater accountability and less tolerance for the exploitation of women’s stories and experiences for the sake of clicks and views. There may be a greater emphasis on ethical reporting, with a focus on the impact of media coverage on the individuals involved.
If the country was feminist, Prova would have been treated with the respect and dignity she deserves. Her privacy would have been protected and the perpetrators would have been held accountable for their actions. The media would have acted responsibly, with a focus on justice and supporting Prova rather than exploiting her for clicks and views. Prova would have been able to speak openly and honestly about her experiences without fear of backlash or victim-blaming. In short, if the country was feminist, Prova would have been able to live and work without fear of harassment or abuse.
Nothing happened like this. She left alone with all her pains. But the weight of the trauma she carried with her, was a victory itself. Every word she spoke, every note she sang, was a testament to her courage and resilience. Her voice echoed through the halls of power, demanding change and accountability from those who had harmed her and others like her.
