Bitter Chocolate, Bitter Truths: Has Anything Really Changed?

I recently stumbled upon my tattered copy of Bitter Chocolate, a book that shook me to my core when I first read it as a 20 year old. For those unfamiliar, Bitter Chocolate by Pinki Virani is a powerful book that sheds light on the harsh reality of child sexual abuse in India, sharing real-life stories while critically examining societal and systemic failures.
It opens with the real-life story of a 3 month old infant, a narrative that left me grappling with disbelief. I was fortunate to have a mother who psychoeducated me about sexual abuse and safety by the time I was 10. Yet, she never told me such horrors could happen to an infant. I badly wanted to believe this was fictitious though, later in my career I came up with similar incidents with infants. 

Now, as the mother of a 10 year old, I find myself fearing my child’s safety in this unsafe world. My child recently discovered this book from my bookshelf and was initially drawn to it because of the word “chocolate” in the title. At 10, she already understands that abuse is deeply unjust and feels anger towards a world capable of inflicting such wounds on the innocent. As a mother, I feel vulnerable and uneasy when I watch her struggle to process what she is learning about the world around her, I wish I could delay her realizations.

Lately, I have been silent about the discussions of abuse and molestation that flood social media. Two decades have passed since I first read this book, and I can’t help but wonder: has the world changed when it comes to the bitterness that Bitter Chocolate exposed? I doubt it. We still excuse abuse as “mischief,” “curiosity”, as something boys will “outgrow.” We frame it as a behavior that military discipline could fix, as a “rite of passage” boys should feel lucky for if the perpetrator is a woman. We treat it as a sin a sisterly rakhi or a hug could absolve, or even as something best denied for the sake of family harmony. (narratives from real life incidents)

So, has anything really changed?
Years ago, when I discovered this book, I decided to discuss this as part of my presentation. My peers were stunned into silence, and I understand why—it is not a topic that lends itself easily to interpretation. Perhaps it stirred memories of personal experiences or served as a stark reminder of how our own silences have contributed to its persistence.

Please share your thoughts here: Bitter Chocolate