Women of 21st century do not want to be confined within four walls of their house. They want to be economically independent, to go to school, colleges and universities. But in this process, they have to suffer sexual abuse on a daily basis. Public transportation is where they suffer this abuse the most. Not all women can afford private vehicles and they are the ones who face this problem the most.The other day one of my colleagues told me how she was physically abused in a public bus. She has a car but she had to use public bus due to the ongoing fuel crisis. A middle-aged man pretended to bump against her, she told me, every time the driver jammed on the brakes. He would move his hand towards her breast. First she thought this was because of the crowded bus. But later she became sure he was doing it deliberately.
"You should have given him a nice blow. Or shouted at him and called other passengers for help," I told her. "I did not," she told me, "because most passengers were men, and even if I had drawn their attention they would not have taken a risk for the sake of an unknown woman." This had me pondering.
Why are women and girls not raising voice against sexual abuse in public transport? Why do they have low self-esteem? Why do they give up jobs? Why do most of them drop out from school and colleges at early age?
Girls and women are free to move and travel safely. This is their right. But most of them hesitate to go out because of fear. They know that the environment outside is unsafe. They know they will have to bear various types of gender violence—sexual assault, harassment and intimidation—especially in public transport. Sadly, most people don't take this issue seriously enough.
We advocate women empowerment and gender equality. But women are still deprived of their basic rights. Women suffer the double whammy—first, they do not come out of their houses to avoid sexual assaults and when they are abused, they do not report, fearing the consequences. They embolden the perpetrators with their silence. So the sexual harassment of women continues.
Fear of sexual abuse is the reason most women fear to work far from home.
As a self-defense trainer, let me suggest some tips to tackle harassment, including in public transport.
If somebody tries to abuse you by touching your private parts, look into that person's eyes straight and continue unless he looks back. If he does not relent, use your bag or elbow to twinge him hard or yell at him, "Stop touching me!" This will draw the attention of other passengers and one of them will surely stand up to help you. If this does not work, ask the bus driver to take the bus to the nearest police station. Create a scene so that the abuser feels humiliated and cannot imagine repeating such behavior.
If you are confident enough, carry pepper spray (if available) or Swiss knife to poke at the perpetrators if they continue abusing. You may even carry whistles to blow and draw attention when you are trapped.
The government, along with various I/NGOs and women rights activists, have been working against violence on women. There are laws to this effect. But sexual harassment in public places continues. Therefore they need to review their programs and launch new programs, if necessary. The government should provide free legal service to those who seek legal redress from sexual violence. Besides, Nepal Police should specially train its women force on gender violence and mobilize them (in uniform or in plainclothes) in public buses. Most of all, the government, in coordination with I/NGOs, should provide self defense training to young girls.
These measures will boost their self-esteem and courage. They will then try to fight harassment themselves. Even if they do not, they will surely report. The government of Delhi last year introduced CCTV cameras and special alarm buttons across most transit networks to control sexual abuse on women. Nepal may follow suit. In addition, we can spread message on gender violence through FM stations, television channels, flyers and posters. We need to introduce toll free number to report sexual abuse. If our sisters, daughters, aunties and mothers cannot travel in this city safely, it is a shame on us men.
The author is women's self-defense trainer and meditation practitioner
girithezorba@gmail.com
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