December, that chilling month that reminds us of the dreadful memories of the brutal gangrape, is here again. It’s been 6 years since the gruesome event took place. The brutal gang-rape of a medical student shocked the whole nation, changing the course of future forever. The next morning, Indians woke up to the nightmarish reality of how unsafe our cities are for their women?
But the question remains the same, are we still safe? Are our women and girls free to roam around at night without any fear? Did things really improve? I guess we all know that the answer is straightforward but still we need to discuss how serious the situation presently is.
Well, going by my personal experience, now I don’t get to see happy faces of girls returning to their homes in the evening. I just see the dupatta wrapped around their faces in fear. Their eyes scanning down the road, looking sideways for escape speaks up about the horrible feeling they go through when they cross a set of boys or move along a dark alley on the way home.
It’s disturbing to see your mother and sisters go through this experience every time they step out of home. City’s security has certainly increased but still, it is filled with many loopholes. The maladministration is the main reason for this laxity which gives the window for such brutal crimes to take place. The recent Kathua incident and Bihar home shelter rape cases have yet again shocked the nation.
So to cope with the menace, the Government of the day has come up with death penalty, strict laws and various women help centres to deal with the problem. Some states have even formed a specialized task force for women’s safety. But these initiatives seemed to have a limited impact on the condition. The politicisation of crime, improper implementation of laws and corruption have all eroded the justice system.
The recent #Metoo movement has shown everyone that the 16th December gang-rape was just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the culture of sexual harassment in our country. This movement showed that not only dark nights are the hunting time for men to prey on women, but the workplace in broad daylight is also their field.
Telecom operators have also started women helplines and rapid emergency buttons. “Vodafone Sakhi” is an example in this regard. But how far it will go to prevent assaults on women can be assessed by the fact that only 29% of users of the internet in our country are women(Report by UNICEF). Therefore technological solutions can only work if proper infrastructure and last mile connectivity is ensured.
Going to other new developments like Ola and Uber, we can certainly say that these things have surely enhanced the sphere of comfort for us. And now anyone can go anywhere 24×7 because of such options available. But stories of cab drivers assaulting women passengers are again a grim reminder of the scary reality. Therefore the thing that needs to be reformed first is the men’s attitude towards women. The patriarchal mindset has to end in order to create a safe neighbourhood for our girls to walk. Otherwise, there is only one thing I can say to our daughters of today and the future…..
Dear Daughters,
Please Don’t come. It’s not that I don’t want you. I am just worried that if you come in this world, these animals in the form of so-called men will rip you apart at every age, every role and every turn.
So, It’s better if you don’t come to this society. I am so sorry!