The reality of women safety in today’s society

It has been 70 years since our country got independence and irony hits me hard when I switch on the TV and find every channel flooded with news about sexual assaults on women which makes us ponder about women safety. Today it is the Kathua and Unnao rape cases. A few years ago, it was of Nirbhaya. Then there are many rape cases and assaults which don’t even come to light.

One candlelight march and everything is back to normal. The culprits are set free after some time and another such incident is experienced by some other girl.

“I was in an auto and an uncle started rubbing my knees. I felt uncomfortable and got down from the auto. We face such incidents in any place and at any time”, says R Bharathi, a BSc student. Another incident happened at a college fest with Navya Nistala, a B-tech student of Vignaan. She shares, “I was waiting for my friend. it was 9:30 at night and the whole place was quite dark. A guy suddenly came and started speaking rubbish and slowly held my hand. I started crying and ran away from there. I wasn’t in a position to fight back and the people were in their own world”.

While certain situations leave girls with no option but to leave the place, some have made the choice to fight back. Rupa Sri, an architecture student talked about her friend who faced such an experience.  “She was sitting behind her father on a scooter and a guy suddenly touched her and shouted something. She stopped and slapped him with a chappal. No matter what, even if you go along with your father or any male acquaintance, such evil-doers are never within their limits”, she added.

In another incidence Deeksha Choudhary, a B.A. graduate of St. Joseph’s tells, “We were at a reception and a waiter in his uniform was staring at my cousin. She told me about it and asked me what to do. I handed her a room freshener and told her to spray on his face. Next day, the waiter came to her house for the payment but didn’t even dare to look at her.” If we are brave and stand against it, the culprit can no longer harm us as they are the ones who need to be scared, not us” added Deeksha.But the solution to eve teasing or for women safety isn’t simple. A majority of us choose to run rather than fight back. Many, don’t even inform their parents about such incidents in a fear that the next day they might not allow their children to go out or wear their favorite jeans. There are many cases of domestic violence that go unheard. But how many women actually go to the police station to complain? Many commit suicide while others quietly bear the trauma, unsure of how to get help. It is time that we support and encourage one another in our day to day lives and stand against the demons to fight for women safety. Not just against eve teasing or rape but against any abuse whether it is verbal, physical, emotional or psychological. For when we stand against a common enemy and fight against them for women safety, we also stand together. And that unity gives us strength.