When Society Judges, Family Must Stand Strong

Recently, I saw a video on YouTube. A girl, who is now a blogger, was crying while thinking about her past. Her teenage boyfriend had made an intimate video with her, and when they broke up, he tried to harass her in many ways and his biggest weapon was that video. Her boyfriend used to think that if he uploaded this video on social media, society might look at the girl negatively.
When an intimate video is published, society judges the victim girl far more harshly than the boy. The girl’s family also has to face many challenges. In the above instance, the girl shared that she and her mother stopped attending social gatherings because society kept bullying her mother. Her father, who lived abroad, also experienced criticism.
Why does this happen? During the teenage years, every human being is in a developmental phase. Why do girls suffer more? The answer lies in patriarchy. Because of patriarchy, girls in society are always more neglected than boys.
The girl also said that if her mother had not been supportive, there was a chance she might have committed suicide. This is not unusual. Research on adolescent psychology tells us that during the teenage years, people are vulnerable and can go down the wrong path. But the right response is to guide them, not abandon them.
The teenage years are among the most important of our lives. Mistakes made during this time can become lessons if we handle them with proper care. The girl I mentioned at the beginning is now a well-established blogger who earns from social media. Her family’s support helped her recover from the bad phases of her life. On the other hand, when family members are not careful during their girls’ worst days, the consequences can be devastating.
So, it is time that we take care of our teenage girls. Even in 2026, girls are neglected, and their rights are often ignored in our society. When terrible situation comes in a girl’s life, the role of parents and family becomes most crucial. Their support and love can help her become a stronger, more empowered woman.

The writer is a student of Minnesota State University, US