Recently, actor Ritabhari Chakraborty ignited a fresh debate on the ongoing row of women’s safety, claiming that sexual abuse and harassment are just as prevalent in Bengali cinema as they are across industries.

Responding to Chakraborty’s statement, actor Raima Sen, who has worked in both Bengali and Hindi cinema, tells us, “I am sure it’s happening in all industries. I haven’t faced it [issues concerning women’s safety], so I can’t comment on it. But, the conclusion to all this remains the same.”

The 44-year-old goes on to share that she would like people’s focus to shift to the bigger picture, one that goes beyond Bengali cinema or another #MeToo movement. “Strict laws for the protection of women is a priority right now. The #MeToo movement happened in India and nothing came about from it. The only way to stop rapes is to give harsher punishments even for ‘lesser offences’,” she asserts.

While Sen, recently seen in Bastar: The Naxal Story, hasn’t fallen victim to harassment in the industry, she reveals that she often feels unsafe as a woman. “Sexual harassment happens everywhere. There’s no point in pulling off another #MeToo,” says Sen, expressing her frustration with the continued cycle of systemic abuse. ”Women need to feel safe,” she adds.

The actor also emphasizes that women should be included in the process of formulating policies and laws regarding women’s safety. “Only women can make laws in India that can protect women. As long as men make the laws for women, women aren’t safe. It can be any state and any politician, it doesn’t matter. Rapes are happening all over the country and they are all handled badly in every state. We need intelligent women lawmakers and intellectuals to shape the law which will then be implemented by the government and judicial systems,” she wraps up.