Comic book highlights gender sensitisation

An interactive comic starring a teenager who has survived gangrape and featuring Hindu Goddess Parvati, who team up to fight gender based sexual violence in India and other parts of the world, was launched here today.
"Priya's Shakti," an augmented-reality based comic that takes its inspiration from ancient mythology has been created by Ram Devineni and Dan Goldman and tells the story of gang rape survivor Priya.
"Comics are not only for entertainment but also to help impart knowledge. A comic book can act as a platform for social activism," Dan Goldman, the book's illustrator told PTI.
Launched by Aapne Aap Women Worldwide (AAP)- a Delhi based NGO working against sex trafficking, the comic is aimed at a call to action to all men and women, boys and girls to have the courage to fight rape, sex trafficking and other forms of gender-based violence.

"Priya is a teenager who has been raped and seeks help from the gods. She flies around on a tiger to various victims across India to help them deal with their problems and to sensitize people around her to not to discriminate against them," says Devineni.
The New York-based comic designer was present in the city in December 2012, when protests took place in solidarity with the 23-year-old who was brutally gangraped who later died. He says he was moved by the activism of people at India Gate and other venues.

Devineni says he talked to a large number of people, including police who were deployed to keep the protesters in check. The incident as well as his interactions helped him to develop the idea of the strip which he hopes will go toward building gender sensitisation across the world.

"Sexual violence across the world is huge concern at present. The way the victims are treated is another serious issue which needs to be looked into. Victimisation post violence is a cultural problem since almost every society is a patriarchal society," says Devineni.
The book has been released online at www.Priyashakti.Com.