The
initiative follows a recent study by Sakhi among a cross section of women
respondents that exposed vulnerability of women in the city to crime,
especially sexual assaults, in public places.
According
to its officials, though the achievements of Kerala in the social and
demographic fields have been widely acclaimed and the “Kerala model’” is being
promoted as worthy of emulation, it has got a very high rank in crime and
suicide rates.
Many
spaces that women are able to access during the day in the state capital become
inaccessible or more difficult to use at night. Generally women are not seen
alone in public spaces after dark because women are not legitimately allowed to
use public spaces without a purpose.
Of the
women respondents, 66 percent said they felt unsafe at the site where they were
interviewed and the rest said they felt safe there but they have other unsafe
places to mention in the city.
Sexual
harassment has been pointed out as the main safety problem by 98 percent of
women followed by robbery (51 percent). Verbal and visual abuse is the most
common forms of sexual harassments, as reported by 80 percent of them. Sixty
percent women reported physical harassment, 26 percent stalking and 21 percent
flashing.
Thampanoor
and East Fort are the main spots where women feel unsafe. In the major bus
stops, women don’t feel comfortable to stay longer as they fear harassment.
They get into the first bus, even if they have to take longer routes.
Almost
two out of every three women face sexual harassment in the city at least two
times in the past year. Women face maximum harassment while using public
transport.
Sixty six
percent of women respondents have reported sexual harassment while using public
transport and women rarely go to theaters and park alone in the city. And in
the case of public toilets, women are reluctant to use it due to its lack of
cleanness and safety.
Forty
seven percent said those women who belonged to the age group between 26 and 40
seemed to be more vulnerable. Even though being single woman or being from a
particular age group are reasons, 98 percent believe they face sexual
harassment only because they are ‘women’.
Sixty
eight percent said men taking alcohol or drugs give a feeling of lack of
comfort and safety and many of them feel the middle aged men are more
problematic than youngsters.
While 69
percent avoid going to secluded places and 67 percent avoid going out alone
after dark, 39 percent avoid going out alone at all. Sixty four percent of the
respondents discussed their personal experience of sexual harassment with their
family members or parents while the rest feared restrictions to their mobility,
inability of the family to help them or possible over reaction for remaining
silent.
While 53
percent of the women respondents in the age group 26 to 55 years have
confronted the perpetrator, only 30 percent of women witnesses have intervened
when they happened to see harassment in public places.
While 16
percent of women and 34 percent of common witnesses prefer not to get involved,
38 % of women and 31 % of common witnesses preferred to come forward to support
the victims. Only 7 % of women have reported the incident to police while only
21 % women respondents considered approaching the police as they feel the
process is too tedious when approaching the police and others felt it might
affect their family.
