Actress-producer Dia Mirza : I faced a stalker when I was younger

Mumbai, Jan 24 (IANS) Actress-producer Dia Mirza has recounted her younger days when she was stalked.

"When I was younger, back home in Hyderabad even I faced a stalker. I confronted him and asked him his name. That moment, the boy didn't have an answer. One should never ignore or be afraid of reporting or calling out a harasser. There is no shame in doing so. It empowers us with the ability to address the problem and more often than not data indicates that it makes a big difference. The harassment does stop," she said.

She feels that safety is not just a law and order issue. "It is much more, with its long and firm roots in the mind-sets and the play of patriarchy. The manifestations of violence can take as horrific a turn as rape. It renders me speechless to hear how young children also fall prey to most heinous of violence and violations," added the former beauty queen.

She was recently speaking at an event hosted by NGO Save the Children, of which Dia is the Artist Ambassador.