How Many Check Points

Jayashanthini’s story is told in the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s conflict. She talks about coming of age at a time when the situation was so severe that they had to hide in a jungle and forget about the customs observed when a girl comes of age. She and her family would walk from village to village to stay safe. On their way to a relative’s house they were stopped at a check point. Women were and men checked separately. Jayashanthini talks about her feelings when she was checked by the female army officer at the check point. She says how the army officer had pressed hard and she did not feel comfortable. She had felt shy and ashamed. She also noted how the male officers had mocked her and spoke badly of her. Jayashanthini wanted to cry. No one had held her that way before and she was angry about it. She came out of the check point in tears.