People stage a demonstration against molestation of women in Bengaluru. Of the 4,241 complaints of molestation filed between 2006 and 2016 in Bengaluru, the conviction rate was 0.37% (16 cases).
 
The number of complaints under under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code (assault to outrage the modesty of a woman) rose from 150 in 2006 to 776 in 2016. Experts say this could be because of an increase in the number of incidents as well as greater willingness on the part of women to register complaints.
 
The data were compiled by Bengaluru Commissioner of Police for the Karnataka Legislature Committee on Prevention of Violence and Sexual Abuse of Women and Children. This data project could serve as a template for how police in India’s burgeoning cities can make sense of their crime data in public interest.
 
Section 354 includes sexual harassment (354A), use of criminal force with intent to disrobe (354B), voyeurism (354C) and stalking (354D). The data obtained from the Bengaluru commissionerate group these offences under ‘molestation’.
 
Bengaluru–India’s IT capital–entered 2017 with reports of mass molestation of women in the city’s bustling MG Road and Brigade Road areas despite deployment of thousands of police personnel. The reports came as a shock to Bengaluru residents and for people across the country who believed the city to be safe for women.
 
Bengaluru’s conviction rate for molestation is indicative of the larger problem nationwide. “Few women who survive sexual assault have a pathway to justice and recovery from their horror,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch, an advocacy, in a statement issued after the Supreme Court upheld on May 4, 2017, the death sentence to four men who were part of the gang that raped in 2012 a Delhi physiotherapy student now known as Nirbhaya.
 
‘A stranger tried to kiss me in front of dozens of people! No one came to my help’
 
Kavya S, 24, was on her way to work when a stranger attacked her in public. “It was around 8:30 am in broad daylight, I was walking to work in Kormangala when a stranger grabbed me and tried to kiss me in front of dozens of people! No one came to my help but when I screamed and kicked him, they yelled at me and asked me to leave him,” she recounted.
 
Kavya immediately filed a complaint with the local police under Section 354, but did not pursue the case once she shifted her residence. “Police officials were very cooperative,” she recalled, “but I couldn’t follow up on the case as I had to shift my house and job.”
 
Cases such as Kavya’s are increasingly common, although Bengaluru police say they are working to improve the law and order situation for women. “We have identified areas that are hotspots for crimes against women and launched 51 Pink Hoysalas (mobile units) that are dedicated to women. We have also launched an app called ‘Suraksha’ last week (April second week). Anyone can inform us if they are in danger and we would reach the spot in 10 minutes,” S Ravi, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime), told IndiaSpend.
 
4,241 cases reported, 53% pending trial, 12% acquittals, 0.37% convictions
 
Bengaluru’s criminal justice system is marred by delays, as with the rest of India’s (discussed here, here and here). Of the 4,241 molestation cases reported, 2,248 (53%) are pending trial, according to data from the Bengaluru City Police Commissionerate.
 
Among the cases tried, there have been 523 acquittals (12%) and 16 convictions (0.37%)–even as the police consider 97% of cases to be “true” after investigation. A decade earlier, the figure for “true” cases was 84%, indicating more open-mindedness in dealing with women’s complaints as well as better effort on the police’s part to investigate.
 
However, lawyers and activists believe the large proportion of acquittals are due to shoddy investigation. “In most crime against women cases, especially the molestation cases, the accused get acquitted or the cases are kept pending for years,” Pramila Nesargi, a noted lawyer and a well-known women’s rights activist, said. “The main reason for all these is the reluctance of police in getting proper evidence.” She said the government needs to appoint well-trained investigative officers.
 
Source: Bengaluru City Police Commissionerate
Note: Figures are for cases under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code. Totals may not tally as some cases may be under investigation.
 
The government needs to think from women’s perspective, Rani Shetty, coordinator of Vanitha Sahayavani, a government agency that provides rescue and support services for women in distress, and operates from the office of the Commissioner of Police, told IndiaSpend. “I have met many victims of molestation whose cases have been pending for years. The legal system needs to be strong, there should be fast-track judgment for any cases related to women,” she said.
 
As per law, the police have to file a chargesheet within 90 days of a crime being reported. “[I]n most cases, they fail to do so, and this in turn affects the court proceedings,” Ugrappa VS, a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council and chairperson of the expert committee to prevent crimes against women and children, told IndiaSpend.
 
At the same time, public prosecutors, who are responsible for presenting the case in court, are overworked. “The main reason for cases pending for years is because public prosecutors are given too many cases,” public prosecutor SN Hiremane, who has been in the field for over 20 years, said. “I myself have 450 molestation cases pending so far.”    
 
Judicial delays, which make it easy for the accused to get bail, can be extremely dangerous for victims of sexual assault. In one case, a grade IX student was molested by her 25-year-old neighbour. Her family filed a Section 354 case at the Peenya police station and the accused was arrested immediately. On his release on bail within four months, he kidnapped the girl and raped her. He is back in jail now.
 
“What happened to me shouldn’t happen to any girl. He has to be punished,” the girl told IndiaSpend.
 
“If the police had taken strict action on his first crime, they could have prevented the second incident. Now he is in jail but he might do the same thing when he comes out,” her father said.
 
The city’s burgeoning population, with a massive influx of immigrants, could be one of the factors behind molestation cases such as the one that took place on New Year’s eve, former Lokayukta Justice (Retd) N Santosh Hegde said speaking at a private college in the city in March 2017. The 2011 census had pegged Bangalore city’s population at 84.4 lakh. By 2016, it had risen to more than 1.15 crore.
 
“They come alone. They stay alone. And the manly desire is always there,” he said at the discussion about immigrants, adding that the benefit of anonymity in an overcrowded city apparently emboldens them to pursue their pervert desires. He also cited a lack of morals as one of the reasons.
 
She said cases of sexual violence against women have their root in the society’s mindset towards gender and it depends on how boys and girls are raised in home and school, Monisha Srichand, noted psychologist and Director of TalkItOver Counselling Services, explained.
 
“From childhood, boys are taught they are better, superior to girls, while the latter are seen as sex objects. They see it all around them in the media, movies… There’s a lot of gender inequality and as men see women walking around freely, being independent, working outside the house, being out late, they subconsciously want to assert their power over her,” she added.
 
(Mani is a Bengaluru-based independent journalist and a member of 101Reporters.com, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.)
 
Courtesy: India Spend

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महान व्यंग्यकार हरिशंकर परसाई ने कहीं लिखा है कि “भगवान पांच लड़कियों के बाद लड़का देकर अपने होने का सबूत देता रहता है”. यही हमारे समाज का साच है दरसल महिलायों को लेकर जीवन के लगभग हर क्षेत्र में हमारी यही सोच और व्यवहार हावी है जो “आधी आबादी” की सबसे बड़ी दुश्मन है. तकनीकी भाषा में इसे पितृसत्तात्मक सोच कहा जाता है, हम एक पुरानी सभ्यता है समय बदला, काल बदला लेकिन हमारी यह सोच नहीं बदल सकी उलटे इसमें नये आयाम जुड़ते गये , हम ऐसा परिवार समाज और स्कूल ही नहीं बना सके जो हममें पीढ़ियों से चले आ रहे इस सोच को बदलने में मदद कर सकें. वैसे तो शिक्षा शास्त्री  ने स्कूलों को बदलाव का कारखाना कहते हैं लेकिन देखिये हमारे स्कूल क्या कर रहे वे पुराने मूल्यों को अगली पीढ़ी में हस्तांतरित करने के माध्यम साबित हो रहे हैं.

अगर हम महिला-पुरुष समानता की अवधारणा को अभी तक स्वीकार नहीं कर सके हैं तो फिर तरक्की किस बात की हो रही है ? वर्ष 1961 से लेकर 2011 तक की जनगणना पर नजर डालें तो यह बात साफ तौर पर उभर कर सामने आती है कि देश में पुरूष-महिला लिंगानुपात के बीच की खाई लगातार बढ़ती गयी है, पिछले 50 सालों के दौरान  0-6 वर्ष आयु समूह के बाल लिंगानुपात में 63 पाइन्ट की गिरावट आयी है. वर्ष 2001 की जनगणना में जहाँ छह वर्ष तक की उम्र के बच्चों में प्रति एक हजार बालक पर बालिकाओं की संख्या 927 थी तो वही 2011 की जनगणना में यह अनुपात कम हो कर 914 (पिछले दशक से -1.40 प्रतिषत कम) हो गया है,ध्यान देने वाली बात यह है कि अब तक की हुई सारी जनगणनाओं में यह अनुपात न्यून्तम है यानी गिरावट की दर कम होने के बजाये तेज हुई है. यदि देश के विभिन्न राज्यों में लिंगानुपात को देखें तो पाते हैं कि यह अनुपात संपन्न राज्यों में पिछड़े राज्यों की मुकाबले ज्यादा खराब है, इसी तरह से  गरीब गांवों की तुलना में अमीर (प्रति व्यक्ति आय के आधार पर) शहरों में लड़कियों की संख्या काफी कम है. कूड़े के ढेर से कन्या भ्रूण मिलने की ख़बरें अब भी आती रहती हैं लेकिन उन्नत तकनीक ने इस काम को और आसान बना दिया है.
 
उपरोक्त स्थिति बताती है कि आर्थिक रूप से हम ने भले ही तरक्की कर ली हो लेकिन सामाजिक रूप से हम बहुत पिछड़े हुए समाज है गैर-बराबरी के मूल्यों और यौन कुंठाओं से लबालब. नयी परिस्थतियों में यह स्थिति विकराल रूप लेता जा रहा है. वैसे तो शिक्षा तथा रोज़गार के क्षेत्र में महिलाओं की संख्या और अवसर बढ़े हैं और आज कोई  ऐसा काम नही बचा है जिसे वो ना कर रही हों, जहाँ कहीं भी मौका मिला है महिलाओं ने अपने आपको साबित किया है. लेकिन इन सबके बावजूद  हमारे सामाजिक ढाँचे में लड़कियों और महिलाओं की हैसियत में कोई बुनियादी बदलाव नहीं आया है. असली चुनौती इसी ढांचे को बदलने की है जो की आसान नहीं है.

दरअसल लैंगिक समानता एक जटिल मुद्दा है, पितृसत्ता पुरषों को कुछ विशेषधिकार देती है अगर महिलाऐं इस व्यवस्था द्वारा बनाये गये भूमिका के अनुसार चलती हैं तो उन्हें अच्छा और संस्कारी कहा जाता हैं लेकिन जैसे ही वो इन नियमों और बंधनों को तोड़ने लगती है समस्याऐं सामने आने लगती हैं. हमारे समाज में शुरू से ही बच्चों को सिखाया जाता है कि महिलायें  पुरषों से कमतर होती हैं बाद में यही सोच पितृसत्ता और मर्दानगी की विचारधारा को मजबूती देती है. मर्दानगी वो विचार है जिसे हमारे समाज में हर बेटे के अन्दर बचपन से डाला जाता है, उन्हें सिखाया जाता है कि कौन सा काम लड़कों का है और कौन सा काम लड़कियों का है. बेटों में खुद को बेटियों से ज्यादा महत्वपूर्ण होने और इसके आधार पर विशेषाधिकार की भावना का विकास किया जाता है. हमारा समाज मर्दानगी के नाम पर लड़कों को मजबूत बनने, दर्द को सहने, गुस्सा करने, हिंसक होने,दुश्मन को सबक सिखाने और खुद को लड़कियों से बेहतर मानने का प्रशिक्षण देता है, इस तरह से समाज चुपचाप और कुशलता के साथ पितृसत्ता को एक पीढ़ी से दूसरे पीढ़ी तक हस्तांतरित करता रहता है.
 
आधुनिक समय में इस मानसिकता को बनाने में मीडि़या की भी हिस्सेदारी है. भूमंडलीकरण के बाद से तो मर्दानगी के पीछे आर्थिक पक्ष भी जुड़ गया और अब इसका सम्बन्ध बाजार से भी होने लगा है.अब महिलायें, बच्चे, प्यार, सेक्स, व्यवहार और रिश्ते एक तरह से कमोडिटी बन चुकी हैं. कमोडिटी यानी ऐसी वस्तु जिसे खरीदा, बेचा या अदला बदला जा सकता है. आज महिलाओं और पुरुषों दोनों को बाजार बता रहा है कि उन्हें कैसे दिखना है, कैसे व्यवहार करना है,क्या खाना है, किसके साथ कैसा संबंध बनाना है. यानी मानव जीवन के हर क्षेत्र को बाजार नियंत्रित करके अपने हिसाब से चला रहा है, यहाँ भी पुरुष ही स्तरीकरण में पहले स्थान पर है.
 
आजादी के बाद हमारे संविधान में सभी को समानता का हक दिया गया है और इन भेदभावों को दूर करने के लिए कई कदम भी उठाये गये हैं, नए कानून भी बनाये गए हैं जो की महत्वपूर्ण हैं परन्तु इन सब के बावजूद बदलाव की गति बहुत धीमी है. इसलिए जरुरी है कि इस स्थिति को बदलने का प्रयास केवल भुक्तभोगी लोग ना करें बल्कि इस प्रक्रिया में समाज विशेषकर पुरुष और लड़के भी शामिल हो. ये जरुरी हो जाता है कि जो भेदभाव से जुड़े सामाजिक मानदंडों को बनाये रखते हैं वे भी परिस्थियों को समझते हुए बदलाव की प्रक्रिया में शामिल हो.

अब यह विचार स्वीकार किया जाने लगा है कि जेंडर समानता केवल महिलाओं का ही मुद्दा नही है. जेंडर आधारित गैरबराबरी और हिंसा को केवल महिलाऐं खत्म नही कर सकती हैं लैंगिक न्याय व समानता को स्थापित करने में महिलाओं के साथ पुरुषों और किशोरों की भी महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका बनती है.व्यापक बदलाव के लिए जरुरी है कि पुरुष अपने परिवार और आसपास की महिलाओं के प्रति अपनी अपेक्षाओं में बदलाव लायें. इससे ना केवल समाज में हिंसा और भेदभाव कम होगा बल्कि समता आधारित नए मानवीय संबंध भी बनेगें. जेंडर समानता की मुहिम में महिलाओं के साथ पुरुष को भी जोड़ना होगा और ऐसे तरीके खोजने होगें जिससे पुरुषों और लड़कों को खुद में बदलाव लाने में मदद मिल सके और वे मर्दानगी का बोझ उतार कर महिलाओं और लड़कियों के साथ समान रुप से चलने में सक्षम हो सकें. अगर हम इस सोच को आगे बढ़ा सके तो हर साल 24 जनवरी को मनाये जाने वाले  राष्ट्रीय बालिका दिवस की सार्थकता और बढ़ जायेगी.

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AMMU JOSEPH on the trajectory of media coverage

The day after Bangalore Mirror broke the story of “Bengaluru’s Night of Shame,” coining the term “mass molestation” to describe what happened at the hotspot of New Year’s Eve revelries in the city, other newspapers also reported that “the … celebrations went horribly wrong,” though some did take the precaution of using the word “allegedly.”  The Times of India’s front page report stated unequivocally that “a large number of women were molested by mobs.” By then the Home Minister of Karnataka had provided grist to the media mill with his infamous “these kind of things do happen” remark, even as the police maintained that they had not yet found any evidence in the CCTV available to them at the time. 

By Day 3 even The Hindu was using the term “mass molestation” and Bangalore Mirror published an account of the “Nightmare on Namma (our) Street” by a young woman who decided to speak out and reveal her identity to encourage others who had similar experiences to do so, too, and to convince the authorities that “it really was mass molestation.”  Other accounts by survivors as well as eye witnesses also began to appear in the press, including online news media, with Bangalore Mirror leading the way.  Deccan Herald reported that the police had registered a suo moto First Information Report (FIR) based on evidence provided by a citizen.

By the next day a video surfaced that clearly showed the horrifying harassment and assault of a lone girl walking home along a deserted residential street (nowhere near the scene of the “mass molestation”) by two scooter-borne men in the early hours of the new year. The disturbing visual evidence, recorded by a CCTV camera belonging to a private house in the neighbourhood, gave rise to hyperbolical newspaper headlines like “Sin City!  Let’s Hang our Heads in Shame!”  A report in Deccan Chronicle, headlined “New gang of psychopaths on the prowl” and based solely on the opinions of an anonymous police officer, claimed that the men caught on camera were “reportedly the new breed of psychopath gangsters, who are on the prowl targeting lone women on city streets at night.”  The shocking footage was widely aired and shared, often as proof of the “mass molestation,” especially by people – including journalists – with no idea of the city’s geography. 
 
"Even as a special team of the Central Crime Branch began to check unedited CCTV footage from the scene of the “mass molestation,” the police continued to assert that no concrete evidence had emerged."
 
Meanwhile, the term “mass molestation” had become a hashtag and had gone viral, was trending, etc., generating responses and counter-responses on social media, including #NotAllMen.  And there were almost daily reports of yet more, isolated cases of sexual harassment and assault somewhere or the other in the city.

Even as a special team of the Central Crime Branch began to check unedited CCTV footage from the scene of the “mass molestation,” the police continued to assert that no concrete evidence had emerged.  And more sections of the media began to use quotation marks and “alleged” while referring to the reported multiple incidents of harassment and assault by New Year’s Eve revellers. 

Finally, exactly a fortnight after the dawn of the new year, came the headline, “The mass molestation that wasn’t – How a panic was created about Bengaluru’s safety.” While the story in The Sunday Times of India was in itself unexceptionable, the headline and the apparent focus on the fact that what happened – if it happened – was not peculiar to the city, that other cities have a much worse record in the annual number of reported cases of “molestation,” and so on, gave some credence to rumours that had been circulating about the media being under pressure from influential people with a stake in “Brand Bangalore” (whatever that is) to move away from any further coverage that would adversely affect its supposedly good, progressive image.  The high profile Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention scheduled the weekend after the reported “mass molestation” made the negative publicity a particularly sensitive issue.

Another story appeared in the TOI on 18 January, headlined “151 molestation complaints filed in 3 years were false.” Much was made of the fact that less than 7% “of the 2190 complaints of molestation filed with police from 2014 to 2016 were found to be false,” with the data presented under the sub-head, “Truth vs. Fiction.” There was, naturally, no statistic on the number of experiences of molestation that were not reported at all – likely far more than the number of complaints recorded by the police.  Nor was there any data on the proportion of false cases among complaints relating to other forms of assault unrelated to gender, as well as murders, thefts, property disputes, etc.

The fact is that there was nothing particularly unusual about the manner in which sections of the media reacted to the several cases of sexual harassment and assault that undoubtedly took place in Bangalore on New Year’s Eve (not for the first time). 

In view of the huge crowd (100,000 by some estimates) and the number and range of available CCTV cameras (around 40 according to some reports), the absence of videographed evidence does not mean that nothing happened.  A journalist who was on the scene and wrote on his blog that “there was no mass physical molestation” did, however, admit to seeing crowds hooting, shouting and whistling at couples and following them, and men following a group of girls, hooting and passing lewd comments.  According to him, “these girls were in a sense of shock” and “looking very frightened.”  Even if one were to accept that there were no “physical” attacks, that does not mean that no molestation took place:  the word means “sexual assault or abuse of a person, especially a woman or child,” “the action of pestering or harassing someone in an aggressive or persistent manner.”

The fact that no police complaints were registered by any women subjected to such harassment or assault is unsurprising, too, considering the customary experiences of women – anywhere in the country – who have approached the police after such occurrences and, of course, the tendency of relatives and friends to urge them to “move on” and not subject themselves to possibly unsympathetic, if not hostile, official and public scrutiny.

The question is whether the several undeniable incidents amounted to “mass molestation.” Going by the dictionary definition of the adjective – “involving or affecting large numbers of people or things” – the only uncertainty is:  how large is large? 
 
"Whether the several undeniable incidents amounted to 'mass molestation' is the question."
 
I myself have used words like epidemic (noun: “a widespread occurrence – usually of an infectious disease – in a community at a particular time,” adjective: “of the nature of an epidemic) and even pandemic (adjective: “[of a disease] prevalent over a whole country or the world,” noun: “an outbreak of a pandemic disease”) to refer to gender violence in general and sexual violence in particular.  I have done so advisedly because I do believe that both are appropriate descriptions of what is officially recognised across the globe as one of the most prevalent and acute forms of human rights violation in the world.  The United Nations, the World Health Organisation and other responsible organisations describe violence against women and girls as a public health pandemic.  

The targeting of a particular city or state – while admittedly meaningless – is nothing new either; nor is the defensive reaction to such adverse attention.  Delhi is routinely referred to as the crime capital and the most unsafe/dangerous city for women – not only in the immediate aftermath of the notorious gangrape of December 2012.  Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was panned for his statement that rapes take place all over the country in response to the projection of UP as a particularly rape-prone state following the gang-rape and murder of two girls in Badaun district in the summer of 2014. 

Interestingly, a Google search for the most dangerous city in India throws up a number of lists that present a bewildering range of options.  Clearly the ranking of cities and states as the best and worst on various counts is a popular media pastime. Interestingly, according to one such mapping exercise, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh boast the highest prevalence of rape, with Jabalpur (MP) heading the list of cities – with 14.4 rape cases for every 100,000 women – and Bhilai (Chhattisgarh) in second place, followed by Bhopal, Indore, Raipur and Gwalior all recording 11.7 or more cases per one lakh women. Kota in Rajasthan is next, with 9.5 cases.  At the same time, the search also threw up a news report headlined “Kerala crime capital of India, Kochi most dangerous city.”

The debate about New Year’s Eve celebrations vs. more “traditional” events that also draw large crowds, “western” vs. “Indian” culture, “outsiders” vs. “locals,” is equally inconsequential.  The only relevant issues in this context are violence in general and gender violence in particular (sexual violence in public places being just one manifestation of gender-based violence); women’s human rights and especially, in instances like this, their right to access public spaces as, when and for whatever purpose they wish to without fear of harassment or assault; the state’s ability and willingness to uphold and safeguard these rights; and society’s commitment to gender equality and a violence-free environment.  These are the issues that the media must foreground even as they continue to report on violent incidents as and when they occur.  All else is folly. 
 
Ammu Joseph is a  Bangalore-based journalist and author. Contact at ammujo2003@yahoo.co.in

Courtesy: The Hoot

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Bengaluru, known for its cosmopolitan culture is also the IT hub of India. As the gory stories of the molestations and gendered violence crept in, the initial estimates put the mob number at 15,000 – 25,000. There were 1500 policemen on duty. Revellers poured into the streets of MG Road and Brigade Road, and there were reports that they attacked women in groups, molested and groped women in the wee hours. Accounts of women being groped, grabbing their modesty and many left unreported. As large sections of the police just stood by, some say there were “outnumbered”. A select few police officials have jumped into action very quickly, without whom this would have continued for long.

Within days, as atrocious comments from sections of the political class came in almost justifying the violence, accounts of Survivors are clear and trong. It is just a question of whose voice who wants to hear.
Geeta (name changed for privacy reasons) narrates her story,

“I was with my friend that night. We finished the party at MG Road and was heading back home. We met a few friends enroute. Hundreds of people flooded the streets. I thought it was some collective drive against new year celebrations. But NO! That anonymous mob was on a drive to squeeze every girl they came across. At a point, I couldn’t even trust my friend. He tried to help me, but in vain. I could have handled 2-3 guys, hitting, beating or shouting. I could have used pepper spray. But when 20,30 guys attack you with sole intention of grabbing your private parts, how can you stop it. Even I couldn’t resist them for long. I was groped and molested. My private parts were grabbed. I was a helpless fish out of water”,

This survivor nearly broke down telling the tale.

“Neither was I drunk nor was I wearing a short skirt. It was cool and i was completely covered. Neither the men were drunk nor was I inviting them with my behaviour. It just happened in a jiffy. They came, attacked, groped, touched me everywhere and targeted the next girl”.

There is another chilling incident in Kammanahalli, East Bengaluru that has been recorded in CCTV. The footage is widely available on internet. It shows a calculated witch hunting by two boys:a  lady turns into an abandoned lane, walking all alone. 2 boys enter the same lane. Initially it looked as if they had no intention of harming her. later they take a U-Turn and stop the bike opposite to her. Then the driver gets down and pulls the lady, holds her tights, grabs her, touches her everywhere. He pulls and takes her to his friend who was the rear seat. He also molests her brutally. That brave girl struggles throughout that 45-seconds, but in vain. She falls on the ground and still those boys devilish act continues. After a few seconds, they leave. Fortunately, the footage was widely circulated on social media and netizens helped police crack the whip. Within 48-hours of this incident the police arrested those two. It was later revealed that they had been stalking that lady for quite some time.

Why has there been no national outrage? Is the nation under a new dispensation living in paralysis or fear?
 

The post Hear the Real Story: Survivor of Bengaluru Mass Molestation Speaks Out appeared first on SabrangIndia.

 
Following the spate of molestation cases that unfolded in Bengaluru after New Year’s Eve, women in the city are eager to ensure that their right to public space is asserted even as the question of safety is debated. On Wednesday, a group of young women called Night In My Shining Armour organised a silent protest and open debate, tagged #IWillGoOut, outside the city’s Town Hall.Over 300 people gathered at the protest venue to reclaim the streets and protest against the stigma surrounding women who go out of their homes after sundown.

“The reason why we are here today is to make women comfortable with the idea that it is completely normal to be out on the streets after sundown. It is not just a protest but an open debate, where people share their experiences in connection to the stigma, and where people who are looking for answers get them just by talking about it,” said Aashima, a member of the group.

Additional Commissioner of Police, Malini Krishnamoorthy, reassured the protestors that the Bengaluru Police were always there to help women who come forward.

“If we have to catch the perverts on the streets then you should come forward and report these instances. Even if you witness it happening to someone else, please report these crimes. The police will take you seriously. There are helplines which have been set up and messages can be sent through WhatsApp as well. We have to work together to catch the perpetrators,” Krishnamoorthy added.

Among the many experiences shared at the event, one point that arose repeatedly was the indifference or lack of support from bystanders or witnesses to public molestation.  One participant narrated such an experience in a BMTC bus in September 2016, adding that there was no official response in her case either.

“I was on my way to work. The bus stopped at Corporation Circle and a man, who was relatively drunk, got into the bus. I was sitting in the ladies’ seat, and he sat next to me. He then leaned on me heavily and I pushed him back. Throughout the ride, he kept staring at me. I informed the conductor and the driver. I also looked for help from the commuters. No one bothered to help me. I took a picture of the man and posted it on the Bengaluru City Police Facebook page but got no response. I reported the incident but no one did anything about it,” said one of the protestors.

A law student, who witnessed an incident of molestation, spoke of his regret for being a bystander. "The incident happened four years ago, on New Year's Eve. I was on my way to Catholic Club and got stuck in traffic. I was looking out and observing what was happening and I saw some men who were catcalling. They were looking at three women and leering at them. I felt disgusted by their behaviour, but I also did not speak up against it. I regret that. I think it's time we all speak up and intervene if we witness such incidents," he added.

Many participants also said that the discussion of equal rights ended with private conversations between friends and did not go further.

"The first time I got drunk, it ended with me being molested. I cried about it to my friends and they shared similar experiences. It consoled me momentarily, but talking about it to your friends and family, discussing equality at the dinner table is not going to solve the issue. We need to try and change the mindset. We need to make our friends more conscious that a sexist joke made passingly is not okay. It has to start with everyday interaction," said a 23-year-old theatre professional.

The debate also touched on aspects where the change will occur with the change in the mindset. “This change has to begin from home. Some of us may have parents who themselves believe that women have to be back home after sundown. This is the conversation we need to have with our parents first,” said another 24-year-old protestor.

Courtesy: The News Minute
 

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