Does Saying ‘I Love You’ To A Girl Equate To Sexual Harassment? DNA Decodes | India News
The phrase “I love you” is one of the most spoken phrases in the world, but can saying it to a girl be considered sexual harassment? A recent court ruling has sparked a widespread debate on social media, with many questioning where exactly the line is drawn.
In today’s DNA, Zee News Managing Editor Rahul Sinha analyses the details behind the controversy and what the law says. Below is the full DNA episode:
#DNAWithRahulSinha | ‘I LOVE YOU’ #DNA #BombayHighCourt @RahulSinhaTV pic.twitter.com/KzzPP9p7m7
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The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court delivered an important verdict while hearing a case related to sexual harassment. The court acquitted the accused, saying that simply saying “I love you” cannot be considered sexual harassment unless the words are accompanied by a behaviour that shows a malicious intent.
Laxman Narate, a resident of Nagpur, was accused of saying “I love you” to a 17-year-old girl while she was returning from school. Based on the girl’s complaint, Laxman Narate was sentenced to three years under the POCSO Act. She challenged the verdict in the High Court, which acquitted him, saying that just saying ‘I love you’ does not amount to sexual assault; clear intention is necessary.
Now, let us analyse the court’s observations in its judgment. ‘I love you’ is a phrase that can be expressed in many ways.
A child says ‘I love you’ to his mother out of love. This love is innocent and the love a mother has for her child is the purest form.
Husbands and wives also say ‘I love you’ to each other, which signifies a lifelong commitment.
A lover says ‘I love you’ to his girlfriend as an expression of love.
But sometimes, you must have seen some miscreants say ‘I love you’, make obscene gestures to harass girls on the street. The court mentioned such intention in its decision.
Who would have thought that “I love you” would reach the court room one day? But do you know the history of “I love you”? Do you know who said “I love you” for the first time?
The earliest use of the word “love” in English as “lufu” or “leof” was around 1100 AD. The first mention of loving someone in English literature is found in the 1300s. The word “love” was added to the Oxford Dictionary in the 1860s.
It is believed that English songs made “I love you” popular in everyday language. Ten percent of English songs mention “I love you”.
According to a survey, 33% of Americans say “I love you” at least once a day. This means that 33 out of every 100 Americans say “I love you” at least once a day.
“I love you” is generally used to express love, but sometimes its use leads to cases reaching the court.
