Eve teasing is a euphemism used for public sexual harassment, street harassment or molestation of women by men.
Every girl/women would have faced this problem many a times. But most of us tend to ignore it because we don’t have any other option. I have always been of the opinion that Ignoring is not the solution, you have to fight back.
I was coming back home yesterday at around 3.30 in the afternoon and I saw a gang of boys (around 10-12 of them) just a little further on the road. I had to go by the same way. There were not many people on the road as it was mid afternoon. When I passed these boys, they made some weird sounds and shouted for no reason. They didn’t harm me in any way but they made sounds and passed comments and laughed amongst themselves.
There were 2 men walking on the same road but they ignored it. I was terrified, annoyed, scared -- all at the same time. I wanted to wait there and give at least one of the gang members a tight slap but I didn’t have the strength to wait. I just walked without looking at any of them. After coming home when I thought about the incident, I felt guilty that I didn’t fight back. I always told my colleagues that we can’t keep ignoring these kinds of things but when I myself faced it I didn’t do what was right. I confess that I was thoroughly scared because they were around 10 of them and I was alone.
It’s sad that women are not respected in our nation and they still can’t live freely without any fear. Mumbai is supposedly one of the safest cities in India but is it really so?
We have these police vans standing at many places which are especially for the protection of women, children and senior citizens but unfortunately when you need it, they are not found anywhere.
I wrote this only for one reason—whenever you see a girl being harassed, try and protect her. I am not saying fight alone with the gang like a hero. But at least if you could just be around that girl until she passes by the street men and see to it that the eve teasers don’t cross their limits, you will save someone’s life. It’s not only about men protecting women form all this. I am sure even if a group of women fight back, the eve teasers will get scared! Women can also keep pepper sprays with them for self defence. :)
When you walk on the roads, don’t just enjoy your music and walk happily. Someone around you may be in need of help.
8 comments:
nicely written..
uve touched a topic which not many ppl write about..people should help out..
u know i searched for pepper spray...cudnt get it anywhere! =))
relispray se kam chalaya...
and yes, the police vans with the tag "Safety of Women, children and Senior Citizens" is one of the ways how our govt wastes money. all they do it park their van somewhere..have tea at a stall, eat vada pav, and gossip. if they're bored, they take a ride in the van...its really sad..
Yaw.. :)
nice topic..! ^^WORD at adijo.. there was always a van standin outside the school.. i have seen them goin to a shop n buyin samosas :) n i have even seen the van empty at tyms!
these dayz u can jus start coughin when u see ne1 teasin u! i did that yesterday while goin to the doc... :)
lmfao!
hahah good one riddhi..! awesome!
nice .... in every school self-defence learning for girls should be compalsory.
Nice article Vidhi. It takes a lot of courage to say in public that I got scared.
I think what you did was right. If you think you can not fight the men alone, it is better to escape. One needs to fight eve teasers, but at the same time one needs to be practical.
I got married about five years back. I learned from my wife that she was afraid of such people. I told her that if she is in a public place, where a lot of people are around, she should raise voice against such people. She did it twice successfully and the teasers had to flee.
very epresive topic..evry girl or women will be ellert abt self deffence..
vidhi keep it up..
lov u
Madam vidhi
Tell me one thing would you feel comfortable if a stranger comes just to walk with you when there is a gang of 10 ppl around. Lets b practical you may feel more threatented by that guy than those 10 guys and even if he comes to help you i would not be suprised if you or any girl in that place would insult that stranger who infact comes to help you. No offense met but lets meet reality head on do we really have that mindset ?
S
@ Sandy:
In d first place who is dis? Do i kno u?
I never said walk with tht girl... i said be around tht gal n c 2 it tht no1 harms her..
When it actualy happens 2 sum1, dey wudnt mind ny damn person on d road helping dem out of d mess..!! D person who is helping shud have d right mindset :)
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