'It took me 30 years to come to terms with what happened to me at age of 17'; Parvathy Thiruvothu opens up

Parvathy Thiruvothu, an actress known for her powerful performances, has opened up about unsettling experiences from her childhood. The actress, who frequently voices her views on social issues, spoke about these incidents during an interview with a YouTube channel.

Parvathy recalled an incident from her childhood when she was assaulted at a railway station while standing with her parents. “I had a painful experience at a railway station when I was a child. I was standing with my father and mother when a man suddenly hit me on the chest and ran away. It was not a casual touch but a violent act. I was very young, and it deeply affected me. After the incident, my mother warned her to be careful in public places. She advised me to stay alert while walking outside and to watch men’s hands. Just imagine a situation where a mother is forced to teach such things to her daughter,” Parvathy said.

"Not just that, during my childhood, many times when I looked back, I saw some men walking behind me after lifting their mundu and exposing their private parts. At that time, I did not understand what was happening or what they were doing. It is only when we grow older, around the age of 19, that we look back at such incidents. That is when we realise how deeply these experiences affected our body and mind. Any physical touch from someone outside my family was a violation.”

“It happened when I was 17 years old. It was by someone I knew. When we are in school, it is common to have a crush on someone. That person then abuses us in a private space. They try to normalise it by making it seem like, if we love them, we should let them do it. I had a crush on this person. He didn't know what consent is. It took me thirty years to realise and come to terms with these things that happened in my life," Parvathy said.