By Kara Brown, a Centre for Social Research Intern in the Media & Communication Division. Kara is a recent graduate from the University of Glasgow, Scotland.

To be honest, I really didn’t know what to expect before moving to New Delhi to join the Centre for Social Research team. Although I secretly feared that I’d find the extent of poverty and crime against women here discouraging, I was also determined to avoid forming any pre-conceptions. Two months into my internship, I had the privilege of visiting one of CSR’s four Crisis Intervention Centres (CICs) in Delhi, where grassroots-level work to end violence in families and communities takes place.

Accompanied by friends and family visiting from as far as Scotland, England and Germany, a handful of CSR staff headed to Chattarpur, in the southwestern most reaches of New Delhi, for the monthly Parivartan Mahila Swawlamban Samiti (Women’s Change Committee) meeting on Tuesday 30^th August. Women and girls, some as young as 8 years old, from all four of our CICs across the city had gathered in Chattarpur to greet us. A few introductory songs and dance performances later, and Chattarpur head counselor Rekha opened up the floor to a question and answer session between our guests and community members. After one teenaged girl raised her hand to ask my own mother if she’d had an arranged marriage, the entire crowd cheered, squealed in excitement and applauded when my mother shyly answered that she’d had a love marriage.

Next, we ran an art workshop where we asked everyone to paint or draw their hopes and dreams for the future. All of the women who come to our CICs for assistance have been through unthinkable traumas in their past, and many are still suffering in the present. On that Tuesday afternoon, however, in a little shaded corner of Chattarpur, after finishing their jobs and household chores, hidden away from the hustle and bustle of Delhi life and the hardships they face every day, the women and girls were all sitting there smiling, singing and laughing as they dreamed up futures of happy families, brilliant careers, palm trees, beaches and endless good weather.

One young woman in particular caught my attention. During the earlier discussion, she rocked back and forth with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees. She showed signs of someone who had experienced the kind of difficulties I have only read about in books: the type of childhood stories that would no doubt reduce you to tears. However, as guests and community members alike took turns to introduce themselves, she had confidently introduced herself to the group and told us that she has been coming to the Chattarpur CIC for a long time. As everyone separated into smaller groups and jostled for a portion of the art supplies, this girl began to draw one of the most colourful and expressive pictures of all. If I did have any pre-conceptions of a bleak future for the women and girls of India, or the frustrations that come with working to change mindsets in a society steeped in patriarchy, they disappeared at least for a while that afternoon in Chattarpur. These young women, with the help of an invaluable support network around them, are finding the strength to believe in themselves and gradually working towards making Delhi a safer place to live. They give me hope for the future generations of men and women in India and organisations working in the field of human rights and development, like CSR.

As some of the middle-aged women and primary school girls began approaching our guests in order to explain and eventually gift us their artworks, a few of the teenagers grabbed a set of drums and broke into song. Some of the younger girls pulled the CSR office staffers and our guests out of our seats to dance and insisted that we couldn’t leave before they’d painted mehndi (henna) designs on our hands and feet. While the henna on my own hands has since faded, it remains clearly etched in my mind just how supportive the women and counsellors in the CICs are of each other, and how warmly and selflessly they welcomed a group of strangers into their community.

By Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research.

Despite the fact that the safety of women is an issue raised time and time again, for women in India fear is a constant companion. A recent survey by Trustlaw Women has re-affirmed those fears after ranking India as the fourth most dangerous country for women in the world. As they strike out on their search for economic and social independence, such a dangerous environment can become akin to terror on women.

Worryingly, Indian women are often treated as the catalyst of violence and sexual assault rather than the victim. Cases of rape provide a good example. For instance, rather than find out the details of the case or ask why the police didn’t arrive at the scene on time, blame is usually placed on the aggrieved girl herself – ‘why was she out in an unsafe place at night?’, ‘why was she alone?’, ‘why was she wearing provocative and revealing clothes?’. This reflects not only the attitudes of a few, but also the mindset of Indian people on the whole. Victim blaming exists within the general public, within families, and even within the institutions which are supposed to be keeping our cities safe. This kind of thinking perpetuates crime against women and is an obstacle in the road for organisations like CSR who are working to create a safer environment for women and girls within their own homes and their own country.

Statistics compiled by the National Crime Record Bureau show that the number of reported rapes across the country has increased substantially from only 
2,487 in 1971 to 21,176 in 2008. An incredible number of additional, unreported instances of rape are missing from this picture. And, while it is fair to point out that Indian population has risen during this period but so too has the strength and number of policemen deployed for citizens’ safety. The answer to these problems does not lie in the more old-fashioned approach of prohibiting the freedom of mobility of women, but in educating people about the wrongs of violence against women, and convicting the perpetrators who are unfit to live in our society. We must strive to ensure women’s freedom and make the streets and households of Delhi safer for all.

It is saddening that even in urban India, people do not feel safe. In a 2004 survey of 13,000 people for the Delhi Human Development Report (HDR), only 19% of those asked said that they felt Delhi is safe for women. The HDR recommended a shift from a more traditional, restrictive approach to women’s safety to one that concentrates on ‘women’s right to a life free from fear and violence’. This is exactly the kind of approach we should be promoting. Earlier this year the Delhi Police Commissioner outraged people by saying “you (women) cannot drive alone at 2am 
on Delhi roads and then claim that the Capital is unsafe”. Why did his comment tick people off? Largely because, instead of vowing to think up new and innovative ways to protect the city’s women, he advised them to do something which in fact impinges upon their freedom and only adds to their fears. This kind of attitude is detrimental to efforts being made to change conservative Indian mentality. While approaches to women’s safety in the past revolved around concepts of fear, restriction and self-preservation, we now need to focus on empowering women and giving them the confidence to walk the streets, ride public transport and enjoy everything that this city has to offer. This confident outlook will only be achieved by making the Capital a safer place for women, men, and children alike.

Ever wondered who is updating the CSR Facebook page, searching for the latest statistics on crimes against women, or assisting our core team in envisioning, coordinating and facilitating our projects and programs?

We are always very proud of our enthusiastic young interns in the CSR office. Over the years we’ve had interns join us from both across the country and across the world – from Punjab, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra in India to Scotland, Germany, Canada and Georgia. They’ve worked on a variety of projects such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the I Stand for Safe Delhi campaign, Human Rights Defenders training workshops and numerous research projects. We’d like to introduce you to some of our current hard working interns!

Meet Kara Brown, Media & Communication Intern at Centre for Social Research, from Edinburgh, Scotland.

M&C intern Kara on the CSR office balcony

How did you become interested in an internship with women and girls in India?

Before moving to Delhi in July to join the CSR team I was studying Law at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and working in the not-for-profit sector. I’ve always been passionate about human rights and international development but it wasn’t until the final year of my degree that I seriously began to consider a career in this field. That was when I discovered Challenges Worldwide – an international development charity that partners experienced volunteers with social enterprises worldwide. It’s safe to say, the rest is history!

What is your role at CSR?

I work for CSR’s Media & Communications Division (M&C). My main tasks include social media, writing new content for the CSR website, helping with the newsletter & annual report, plus researching and writing articles for the CSR blog.

What are you most looking forward to during the remainder of your time at CSR?

We have a blog piece in the pipelines on how corruption affects the lives of women in India. I’m also looking forward to collaborating with some film makers who have recently approached CSR to document the work being done at our Crisis Intervention Centres.

What is your favourite thing to do in Delhi?

I love so many things about Delhi, but one highlight is my morning commute. Every morning I walk past a Hindu temple where people are worshiping, singing, burning incense and presenting offerings. There are street children cooking corn by the side of the road, rickshaws tooting their horns loudly, and cows wandering through the traffic. Then I step out of the heat and into the office to begin my day’s work.

Ever wondered who is updating the CSR Facebook page, searching for the latest statistics on crimes against women, or assisting our core team in envisioning, coordinating and facilitating our projects and programs?

We are always very proud of our enthusiastic young interns in the CSR office. Over the years we’ve had interns join us from both across the country and across the world – from Punjab, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra in India to Scotland, Germany, Canada and Georgia. They’ve worked on a variety of projects such as Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, the I Stand for Safe Delhi campaign, Human Rights Defenders training workshops and numerous research projects. We’d like to introduce you to some of our current hard working interns!

Meet Prerna Dharni, Gender Training Institute Intern at Centre for Social Research, from Chandigarh, India.

GTI Intern Prerna Dharni taking part in the I Stand for Safe Delhi campaign 2011

What led to you joining the Centre for Social Research team?

I’m a single child and grew up hearing people tell my parents it was important to have a boy to “complete” the family. It unsettled me that people still thought like that. I’ve been interested in women and gender studies since an early age but it was really during my student life that my level of interest intensified. I graduated with a Masters in International Politics from JNU in 2010.

What does your role at CSR include?

I work in the Gender Training Institute (GTI). I mainly plan and execute workshops on gender sensitisation with college students, police, teachers and government officials. I am also the intern coordinator, which involves responding to applications and interviewing prospective interns. I also write articles for the CSR blog, work on awareness campaigns, and assist with our ‘Women in Democracy’ project.

What is the most interesting thing you have learned during your internship about women in politics?

I’m interested in the role reservation has played at the Panchayat level to empower women politically. These women exhibit confidence and provide hope for a more gender-inclusive political system in India.

What do you like most about living in Delhi?

I am a foodie and a history freak so Delhi is a perfect place for me to fulfill both of those passions! I love visiting old monuments and places of historical relevance, and trying all of the food that the city has to offer.

This is part two of a two-part series. Read part one here.

Despite the flowery language and hype of the press, the Delhi SlutWalk Arthaat Besharmi Morcha was a lot of talk but actually little walk. While reports say hundreds of participants gathered for the much-anticipated march, in reality, hundreds of inquisitive journalists and spectators circled round only a handful of activists.

Participants assembled in the scorching heat on Sunday morning in Jantar Mantar. They brandished brightly coloured placards reading, “walk of NO shame” and “change your thinking, not your clothes”. But it wasn’t long before they were met by the restraints of the police  – who cut short the length of the march. The very essence of the SlutWalk movement is in response to a comment made by a Canadian policeman that led to outrage. Yet ironically, it was the Delhi police who flattened Sunday’s protest. This SlutWalk was more like a brief saunter around the block.

The upshot of Delhi’s Besharmi Morcha is that students actively displayed awareness of sexual aggression towards women. The movement opposing violence against women needs the support of young people who will encourage others to denounce these acts. That said, lack of support from local men and women was evident. There are over 12 million people living in the capital, but only a couple of hundred travelled to Jantar Mantar last weekend to see what all the fuss was about. Perhaps others don’t agree with the cause. Maybe they simply aren’t interested. It is more likely that the meaning behind the event was unclear. SlutWalk participants in other countries wore provocative clothing such as underwear, fishnet tights, and thigh-high boots to prove their point. However, out of respect for cultural sensibilities, Delhi organisers invited women to dress in their every day clothes to march. The question, therefore, is why use the connotations of “slut” and “shame”?  Was this a protest against society’s attitudes towards the way women dress or was this a protest against the actions and opinions of the police force? Whatever the reason, the message felt muddled. Somewhere between its origins in Canada and arrival in India, the purpose of ‘SlutWalking’ appears to have gotten lost in translation.

A SlutWalk is simply not the right vehicle for change in Delhi. Rape and sexual harassment are often not linked to the way women dress. Be it in jeans or saris, on the streets or at home, women face harassment by people they know or by complete strangers. A SlutWalk alienates a part of Indian society who cannot relate to the experience of being called a ‘slut’, but fall victim to sexual assault regardless. Using this word also attaches negative connotations to the image of women and instantly puts many people off. In order to really implement change we need to reach out to everyone – no matter what their background or level of exposure to contemporary ideals.

The main gist of the SlutWalk movement is certainly worth re-iterating – whatever the circumstances, sexual harassment and rape should never be blamed on the victim. Any future campaigning should involve collaboration between all organisations working in this field. By coming together, we can take advantage of a pool of knowledge and experience, youthful enthusiasm and fresh insight so as to best make Delhi a safer place for women.

This is part one of a two-part series. Read part two here.

Photo credit: legallyindia.com

Scrutiny of women’s mannerisms and appearance is common all over the world. From what they wear to the way they speak, everything is analysed down to the smallest of details. This week’s newspapers flooded with opinions on the style and fashion preferences of visiting foreign minister of Pakistan, Hina Rabbani Khar, discussing everything from her favourite jewellery to the cost of her handbags. Nothing is left out – much to her dismay. Young Indian women yearn for the freedom to step out of their homes without being examined from head to toe.  Those that can manoeuvre through such scrutiny and forge their own path in public clearly then bear the burden of sexual harassment. Many believe women themselves are responsible for the increasing levels of aggression towards them because of the way they dress in public.

To counter this opinion and protest against sexual harassment and violence against women, an event called SlutWalk Arthaat Besharmi Morcha is being held in the centre of New Delhi on Sunday 31st July 2011. The concept sparked several heated and controversial debates as to its value and reach.

Why ‘SlutWalk Arthaat Besharmi Morcha’?

SlutWalk Arthaat Besharmi Morcha means ‘SlutWalk, a.k.a Shameless Walk’ and is a form of non-violent protest. 19 year old Umang Sabharwal is organising the protest in the capital this weekend, hot on the heels of Bhopal hosting the country’s first Bersharmi Morcha on 17 July 2011. The concept is modelled on similar events in various different countries named ‘SlutWalks’ which have attracted worldwide attention. The first SlutWalk was held earlier this year in Canada after a Toronto police officer commented that ‘women should avoid dressing up as sluts in order to not be victimized.’ Indian organisers have changed the title and style of the event to keep it in tune with India’s conservative social values. Nonetheless, does using word “shameless” not suggest that women have something to be ashamed of in the first place?

How is the word ‘slut’ perceived in India?

While the SlutWalk movement gained momentum in the West, many in India were not very forthcoming in accepting this event. The word ‘slut’ is not part of daily vocabulary for the majority of Indians, nor is dressing provocatively to prove a point common practice. The event is no doubt directed towards the worthy cause of raising awareness of violence against women, but method and more importantly the choice of wording could prove a hindrance in gathering wide support.

“I agree with the cause, but the packaging is wrong,” says Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of CSR. “I try to counsel students not to alienate the majority of Indian women. The Indian feminist movement took many decades to recover from the damage caused by the American bra-tossing campaigns. Let us not ape the West unnecessarily and trivialise our fight.”

Will this Sunday’s Besharmi Morcha in Delhi  really make people sit up and take action, or will it claim its five minutes of fame then be quickly forgotten?

Whether women dress skimpily or cover up from head to toe, they are still subjected to harassment. The majority of Indian male mindsets are so drenched in patriarchal and conservative tradition that a walk by only a small margin of the country’s vast population will evidently struggle to make a substantial impact. The lukewarm response given to the protest in Bhopal two weeks ago, where only 50 people turned up, is an indicator of the lack of support Sunday’s walk in Delhi is likely to suffer from. A movement in protest of violence against women will become successful only when women and men of all ages and walks of life come forward and loudly condemn violence. It remains to be seen whether the SlutWalk Arthaat Besharmi Morcha this weekend will have any effect whatsoever, or at least any positive effects.

For the first time in India this Father’s Day weekend, Centre for Social Research proudly hosted Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® India, part of the first Global “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” Day. Originally founded ten years ago, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is now a global movement of men and boys taking the renowned saying, “You can’t understand what someone’s going through unless you’ve walked a mile in their shoes,” to a literal level through organized, peaceful demonstrations of men in high heels expressing empathy towards female victims of crimes such as sexual harassment, assault, rape, domestic abuse and other forms of violence.

Weeks before the event itself, we kicked off a fundraising drive aimed at raising money toward continuing our Crisis Intervention Centres (CICs) in four of Delhi’s most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. Proceeds from these donations will go directly toward supporting survivors of abuse and expanding the CICs’ Women’s Change Collectives and Men’s Support Collectives.

While most Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® events ask men to walk their city’s streets in women’s shoes, our uniquely Indian edition went one step further by asking guys to compete for prizes by performing different feats and tasks while wearing women’s shoes…and we even managed to get some of our own team members and spouses to step up and compete.

Initially, we were a bit nervous about the event, what with the whole “men walking in high heels…in India” thing, but we got off to a great start on June 19, thanks to our emcee, who bravely challenged men to portray the true characteristics of gentlemen: brave, tolerant, respectful, confident and secure enough to place themselves in women’s shoes.

Slowly but surely, the crowds started gathering around the registration table to sign up, donate and find out what in the world was going on! We managed to continue fundraising throughout the day, as shoppers and audience members stopped by to collect pamphlets and purchase awareness raising materials like bookmarks and postcards.

As for the main event, registered “walkers” selected a pair of (pretty fashionable, we think) heels, and off they went: First, racing to be the first to score a football goal (which out of personal experience, can be extremely painful for the feet), then attempting a traditional “housewife” activity such as peeling vegetables or changing diapers on a stuffed toy. Finally, our emcee turned up the heat by interviewing contestants, testing how well they knew their wives and their routines.

As the competition started to calm down, we gathered CSR team members and friends from the community, who performed a street play in several acts about women’s perceived inferiority in workplaces and sports and the hurdles women must overcome in their careers.

After a long run-up of fundraising, organizing and designing the event (and once we’d confirmed that none of our “walkers” had broken an ankle or foot), we were relieved to help make India’s first Walk a Mile in Her Shoes® event a success! With more than 20 competing men and hundreds of supporters and curious audience members, we reached out to more people and a more diverse group of people than we’d expected, including children, teenagers and adults of all ages.

When the walkers decided to dedicate their competitions and performances to their mothers, girlfriends, wives and daughters, we saw it as a symbol of solidarity with the women in their life and hope that the event left some members of the audience pledging solidarity with women, too.

I Stand for Safe Delhi, CSR’s latest public campaign, brings awareness and knowledge to the streets in hope of transforming the streets. The campaign focuses on socially sensitive topics of women’s safety in public spaces, sexual harassment and gender-based violence in an effort to change mindsets and urge action taking on the part of bystanders who often turn a blind eye.

We’d been preparing all week: Painting signs and designing pamphlets; calling volunteers and the media; designing makeup and props; securing police permission and scouting locations; and writing and rehearsing CSR’s first major street play appearance.

Finally, on June 2^nd, our office team joined up with volunteers and community friends to kick off the campaign in the densely populated central Sarojini Nagar (market). More than 60 volunteers gathered in “I Stand for Safe Delhi” shirts while chanting encouragement to the crowd and carrying signs with different statements, including “Safety, My Right!”, “Speak Up” and “Choose Courage”, among others. Just down the street, even more volunteers were preparing makeup, costumes and props for their secret street play.

Bearing the bold sign “Stand, Speak, Act”, CSR Director Dr. Ranjana Kumari led the procession with volunteers and CSR team members following and chanting their way down the market road. The volunteers then came to a halt and formed a large circle in the centre of the market: Covering their eyes and mouths with black blindfolds, the volunteers represented the general population in Delhi, who so often turn their eyes and keep silent when they witness someone being hurt or harassed in public.

In costumes and elaborate makeup and armed with a range of props, the I Stand for Safe Delhi acting troupe—composed of CSR staff members, interns, volunteers and friends from the community—ran, danced and stomped their way to the centre of our makeshift stage. For the next five minutes, the crowd was engrossed and quieter than we’ve ever seen 500 congregating Delhiites before! The troupe performed three lively and powerful short plays about sexual harassment of women under three common settings; a marketplace, a public transit bus and a dark street during night time.

Contrasted to a conventional theatre or auditorium, the roundabout theatre we created that day was simple and low budget, yet still able to attract a surprisingly vast and focused crowd from all ends of the street. Believe it or not, our biggest shock was just how polite and attentive our makeshift audience remained throughout: Even after the plays had ended, hundreds of observers continued standing in place while transfixed and silent, waiting for more! Equally mesmerized, to our delight (and let’s be honest, surprise), were the local police. They actively engaged in discussions with volunteers between scenes and warmly applauded at the “curtain close” marked by the fall of a bleeding victim.

To capitalize on the audience’s interest, we ended by distributing flyers and pamphlets detailing how victims and bystanders of sexual harassment can safely and effectively take action in such a situation.

Stay tuned for news about more I Stand for Safe Delhi street play performances: We’re in talks to partner up with a few of our favorite educational institutions and community-based organisations to take I Stand for Safe Delhi across the city.