Country’s public transport and public spaces, particularly buses, are ‘mostly unsafe’ for women as they are frequently harassed and bullied physically and mentally. An online survey of over 5,000 women spread across 24 districts in the country has revealed that nearly 87 per cent of them have faced some form of harassment at least once in their lives.
The findings also revealed that 36 per cent women face sexual harassment regularly on public transport, like buses, launches and trains, and at terminals. As such, more than half, 57 percent, of the respondents consider public transport as the most unsafe. Other than public transport, streets, shopping malls, and online platforms too happen to be places where women have been targeted.
The survey has also revealed that they were harassed the most during the day. A whopping 52 per cent said they were harassed during the day with most incidents concentrated in the afternoons. The bleakest of all findings, however, is the response to the harassment. Only 36 per cent protested when they were harassed and only 1 per cent went to law enforcers after the incident, a reflection of the stigma and lack of social or legal support extended to victims.
This is also reflected in the help extended by onlookers to women being harassed. The survey revealed that 44 per cent of victims were not provided any help while they were being harassed in public. When asked why public places were unsafe, 48 per cent respondents said a lack of respect towards women was the sole reason, 19 per cent said overcrowded public transport was to blame, and 10 per cent believe that the absence of appropriate laws was a potential reason.
Despite much advancement in different sectors, attitudes towards women and children have not changed in this paternal social mosaic. Families, societies, educational institutions, political parties, business centers and NGO have some role to play to ensure safe public transport and public space for women. We cannot rule out the prevailing culture of impunity and political buttress of the culprits and accused.
