Singer and voice artist Chinmayi Sripaada has once again become the target of online harassment after a troll mocked her past sexual harassment allegations. The incident has sparked outrage and renewed discussions about victim-blaming and the challenges faced by survivors who speak out.
The controversy began when a comment from Chinmayi's husband, actor Rahul Ravindran, regarding her personal choice of whether or not to wear a "mangalsutra" (a traditional necklace worn by married women) garnered attention on social media. Chinmayi expressed her concern for women after witnessing angry reactions and abuse directed at her husband.
In response to Chinmayi's tweet, a user questioned her concern for other women, bringing up her past allegations against veteran lyricist Vairamuthu and implying that she was not able to protect herself. The troll's comment was, "you couldn't save your a** when vairamuthu allegedly groyped you but here you are worried for other women".
Chinmayi did not hesitate to respond to the troll, calling out the user for victim-blaming and bringing up her traumatic experience. She asserted that survivors are often blamed for the violence they experience, which discourages others from seeking justice. In a strong statement, Chinmayi tweeted, "Yes. Because getting groped and molested is MY fault. Why do men like you have to bring up my sexual harassment episode and my molester to prove some non-point? Just please vanish into thin air in Delhi so that I dont have to breathe it".
Chinmayi was one of the most prominent voices in India's #MeToo movement in 2018, when she publicly accused Vairamuthu of sexual harassment, alleging that he sexually harassed her during a concert tour in Switzerland in 2005. Her allegations led to significant discourse within the Tamil cinema industry and prompted other women to share their experiences. However, she also faced backlash, including online harassment and eventual removal from the South Indian Cine, Television Artistes and Dubbing Artistes Union (SICTADAU) after she supported women who had spoken out against the then-union president Radha Ravi.
This recent incident has reignited conversations about the persistent problem of survivor shaming and the emotional harm caused by such remarks. Chinmayi has emphasized that the responsibility always lies with the perpetrator, not the victim, and that survivors do not owe silence to society. She has also stated that those who mock survivors expose their own insensitivity.
Chinmayi married actor Rahul Ravindran on May 5, 2014. The couple has twins, a daughter named Driptah and a son named Sharvas, born on June 18, 2022.
