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.

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.

Photo credit: wn.com

The notion of justice for women—more specifically, women’s access to justice—in India heavily relies on constitutional mandates that entrust the police with the role of ensuring that crimes against women are reported and investigated. According to a Thompson Reuters poll from just this year, India is the 4^th most dangerous place in the world for women. Clearly, the extent to which India has attained success in guaranteeing the safety of and providing a sense of security to its women remains highly debatable.

Last week, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee announced its plan to set up 65 all-woman police stations across 20 state districts. While the world’s first all-women police station was set up in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 1985, India was not far behind in launching its very own all-women police stations in the state of Tamil Nadu under the Jayalalitha government in 1992. Yet two decades later, the lack of strategic and visionary thinking has stalled the creation of these police stations all over India.

Like in Tamil Nadu and following the creation of one such station in Chandigargh, the upcoming all-women police stations in West Bengal will make it possible for women officers to investigate crimes against women—and for victims of such crimes to be attended to by women officers. According to the Chief Minister, these police stations will deal with increasing crimes against women and encourage women to join the police force.

Police stations in India are notoriously hostile environments, leaving some victims feeling less secure than before their visit. In particular, victims of rape, sexual harassment and trafficking have reported revictimisation by the very police officers tasked with helping them. In the largely patriarchal Indian society, most women still consider discussing personal or sexual matters with a stranger—especially a man—improper.

For these reasons and more, the CSR team is excited to see the all-women police station initiative taking root in West Bengal. In a recent discussion, our Director Dr. Ranjana Kumari commented that as a “leading light,” Calcutta will hopefully inspire the Government of India to implement the same all-women police stations nationwide. These stations, Dr. Kumari said, “will lead to gender sensitised policing and also give confidence and a higher comfort level to women to come forward and share their grievances with the police.”

On the one hand, all-women police stations might seem like a short-term, top-down fix to deeper and more widespread gender imbalances—much like women-only metro cars soothe the symptoms of patriarchy, not abolish its root causes. Admittedly, CSR’s own Gender Training Institute works with Delhi’s South District Police Force in a more long-term, bottom-up approach to gender justice in law enforcement: implementing station-by-station gender sensitisation training courses for both men and women police officers.

However, gender sensitisation is an ongoing and gradual process, with the final product impossible to perfectly determine ahead of time. So while all-women police stations don’t address the root causes of inequity, they are likely one vital component of a more inclusive, long-term strategy toward ensuring women receive the justice they deserve. Not to mention that these stations, which basically effect a quota, will allow more women to pursue careers in the police force, still a deeply patriarchal institution itself.

It’s important to ensure that the police personnel in these all women police stations are well equipped to handle the magnitude of cases that could pour into these police stations and should be specially trained in tacking issues of violence against women. Hence providing women victims with comfortable environments via all-women police stations, equipping women and men in the police force with better facilities to tackle gender based violence, and endeavouring to make wider and more long-lasting change through gender sensitisation of police officers will have to go hand in hand to transform India into a country where crime victims of all genders access and receive justice.

Last week, Arunima Sinha, a nationally ranked athlete, was pushed out of a moving train by men attempting to rip a gold necklace off her body. Arunima not only had her left leg amputated, but is also suffering from an infection in the amputated leg stump, a number of fractures in her right leg and a spinal injury. Yet, despite all that she has experienced due to the lack of safety in public transportation, the Government Railway Police are questioning Arunima’s story.

Government Railway Police office A.K. Jain claimed that their investigation has shown Arunima to be “disturbed” and that she “either attempted suicide or met with an accident.” Jain’s statement comes just a few days after the Allahabad high court directed Indian Railways to pay her Rs. 5 lakh (more than $11,000 USD) as compensation.

Even though the Railways aid for Arunima’s initial treatment and even offered her a job, representative now claim that Arunima’s story is completely untrue, containing loopholes and missing facts. Unbelievably, it still remains to be seen what steps the Government Railway Police have taken to catch the “chain snatchers” responsible for pushing Arunima off the train in the first place.

Rather than taking responsibility for the lack of safety measures and services available to women passengers on Indian railways, the Government Railway Police have instead resorted to questioning the mental health of the victim. It seems they haven’t yet realized that the coherency and courage Arunima has shown since her traumatic accident is proof itself of just how mentally stable she is.

Thousands of women in India can sympathize with Arunima’s plight, because they also faced danger and harassment in trains and other forms of public transportation. Indian Railways’ Annual Statistical Statements reported a rise in crime figures, yet action taken against criminals on the railways is on the decline! The Railways has a full right to administer a probe into Arunima’s case and negotiate an appropriate compensation. However, accusing a victim for being mentally unstable without actually backing up those claims with evidence or witnesses is disappointing and ethically plain wrong.

All of this begs the question: Will Arunima’s story become yet another example of a woman being blamed for the increase in crimes against women, or the lack of sufficient policing in public spaces?

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

Dhaula Kuan, a neighbourhood in South West Delhi, is well known for a few things: containing the south campus of the University of Delhi, being situated at the crossroads of five major thoroughfares, and hosting two major housing developments filled with young, working women. A quick Google search reveals much more: media reports of rape, kidnap, murder and molestation. The most recent case to be added to this abysmal pattern is the murder of Delhi University student Radhika Tanwar.

The socio-economic structure, the way the population is laid out, the lighting and the infrastructure are all contributors to the emergence of crime in these areas. However, inadequate and unresponsive policing remain significant contributors to the prevalence of Violence Against Women in the neighbourhood. November 2010 brought to light the inefficiency of Dhaula Kuan’s police force when a female BPO (business process outsourcing) employee was gang raped in her housing complex. Last year, the Hindustan Times uncovered nearly 20 rape cases in Dhaula Kuan that were either withdrawn or never reported.

What’s happening now is that the police lack firmness in controlling the crime rate, so there is a trust deficit forming. There remains a need for proper police training and especially for more women in the police force; additional female police officers may ease some women’s concerns about approaching the police. To date, the number of women in the police across Delhi remains pathetically low. As most of us are now aware, Radhika Tanwar was stalked for two years without informing the police. Young girls and women of all ages feel that their freedom will be curtailed if they confide in their parents or other family members, but parents should immediately call the police and take action rather than blaming their daughter and inhibiting her freedoms.

Not informing the authorities wasn’t the only problem in this case. The lack of witnesses that have come forth regarding the murder that took place in broad daylight on a crowded footbridge further demonstrates Delhi’s slow response to crimes against women. When Delhi as a city lacks a culture of respect for women, people don’t come forward to help when someone is in distress. Also, India lacks a witness protection program; rather, witnesses are harassed by the police and often even blamed for the crime.

The tragedy of Radhika Tanwar’s murder reminds us once again that the Delhi government must stop blaming the police and begin actively collaborating with and making positive changes in the police force.

This post is the third part of a three part series, and is by Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research.

Some have claimed that it is to other areas that we must look to explain such shocking statistics, and it is to falling standards in public decency that blame for such widespread abuse can be attributed. Perhaps greater liberalisation in what is show on television has had a detrimental effect our collective morality? Since the state monopoly on broadcasting was broken in 1992, India has seen the variety of content available on cable TV explode, with several recent reality programmes causing widespread controversy with their use of bad language and depictions of intimacy.

Through the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act of 1995 provides for censorship of unsuitable material, central organised regulation is still lacking, and several experts in the field have expressed a need for setting up of a regulator to regulate content on TV. The number of reported cases of rape has risen steadily from the early nineties when reforms began and cable television started to grow, and have in fact doubled since 1990. But can ‘trash TV’ really be a contributing factor in such horrendous crimes?

Others have argued that not enough sexual education in schools, or too much, is to blame. Cities in other countries such as Norway, Sweden and Denmark are safer for women, all of which have very different programmes in place. In many such countries sex is not considered taboo in the same way it is in India, and sexual education is compulsory for all children who attend public schools.

Obviously the situation in India is very different. The Supreme Court ruled in 2005 that sex education in schools could not be considered a fundamental right as part of the right to education. The ruling came in response to a petition submitted by the NGO NariRaksha Samiti, who argued that sex education at schools could play a role in checking the rise in rape cases. Many politicians disagree, with a committee on petitions lead by BJP’s Venkaiah Naidu arguing that there should be no sex education in schools, as such classes have not place in the country’s “social and cultural ethos”.

Many cite a fear that such education would only result in a rise in the level of sexual activity among children and result in more violence towards girls and women. However the World Health Organisation has said that “Early sex education delays the start of sexual activity, reduces sexual activity among young people, and encourages those already sexually active to have safer sex.” Additionally, the WHO has highlighted school programmes on sexual violence as being key to preventing rape and other violence against women.

The Government has in the past made efforts to address violence against women in Delhi and to stop the raise in the cases of rape reported. In 2004 the Delhi Commission for Women stated, “To make Delhi more secure for women, to provide a safer climate for women and to strive towards building confidence amongst women is the Government’s foremost concern.” Whereas the introduction of services such as the Commission’s rape crisis cell and the support given to NGOs providing similar services is to be applauded, one cannot escape the conclusion that much, much more needs to be done. Women should begin to actively learn to defend themselves by gaining the confidence to stand up to violence. The implementation of self-defence courses should train women in how to deal with these situations. Women’s own confidence levels will increase when they know how to deal with negative encounters with men.

The raising number of rape cases reported in the capital only reflects wider societal attitudes towards the place of women. In addition to working on improving conviction rates and making it easier for women to report cases, the wider attitudes and beliefs of the Indian public must be tackled. If we all collectively address the various areas in which the women of all of India face discrimination, from female foeticide and public harassment to work place discrimination and child marriage, we can begin to realise true equality and make all our cities safer for everyone.

This post is the second part of a three part series, and is  by Dr. Ranjana Kumari, Director of Centre for Social Research.

In order to really address the issue of crimes against women, we need to address the root of the problem. More and more women are in the workforce interacting with men as equals, as superiors in some case, so there is a need for much more tolerance of the other sex, which is lacking. We need to create a culture of respect and gender equality, which are traits that are taught at home. Besides creating a culture of respect we need to also raise the value of equality and getting women the position of equality.

It is equally as important that the issues concerning safety in public places be strongly addressed by state authorities. There should be a team of efficient, trained police rapid action forces that look specifically at this matter. There certainly should be more women in the police so more women will feel comfortable seeking help from authorities. Police men offer to drop women home, but how many girls would actually feel safe going in a police jeep at night?

We have examples of metros in parts of the world that need to be examined for implementation in Delhi. In well-developed cities like London and Paris, police forces are trained to deal with crimes against women. In London, where 186 incidences of rape were reported in 2010, police officers are specially trained to work with victims of sexual assault. Similarly, in the Paris police force there are ten psychologists who are available for women who have experienced violent crimes and are emotionally distraught.

There have been efforts to assure added safety such as the 100 or 103 helpline number, an all women’s compartment in the Delhi Metro, and an increase in the level of Delhi Police vans in unsafe parts of the city.  In spite of these initiatives, the harassment women face in public transportation has not been fully addressed. Over 82% of Delhi women feel they are most unsafe in Delhi public buses and the lack of gender sensitive training among public transportation personnel adds to this problem. In the transportation sector the first and foremost thing to do is to really train the staff, whether it’s bus conductors, train personnel or metro station staff.

Despite the 100 or 103 helpline number’s popularity, it lacks basic organizational structure at its core. The most obvious example of this was seen in the Dhaula Kuan rape case where a PCR police van that should have been patrolling the area was not there the night of the incident. The number of PCR vans should be increased for a quicker response and an emergency response system should be put in place.

The reality is police patrolling will alone not be enough to stem this growing problem. Part of the root of the problem also lies with the judicial system. Rape crime conviction rates in India are only 27%, which is largely due to the several years it takes for rape trials to go underway. The slow court proceedings cause rapists to not fear the law. If judicial systems reform policies to allow for a speedy trial, the number of first-time rape crimes and the number of recidivisms will both decrease.