Harrasment in public transport

Have you ever seen such shit happening in our Kashmir ?
Have you ever experienced a girl feeling uncomfortable in public transport? Have you ever wondered such disgusting males exist in our society who have no respect for women’s dignity and modesty?

Being a girl whenever i travel in public transport i always get undesirable touches and moves from black sheeps. How can a man thinks that a girl who sits beside him is mere a sex object or a thing of pleasure. I wonder why these guys do not consider someone’s Daughter, mother, and sister his own daughter, mother and sister. Don’t we have right to move? Don’t we have right to travel? Yes obviously, but we are still oppressed. Even in islam we have given high status but inspite of this we are oppressed. Despite laws and regulations we are still being treated unequally. According to IPC section 509(A), uttering any word or making any gesture intended to insult women: imprisonment for three years and fine. “No women shall be subjected to harrasment at any public places, whether the aggrieved women is employed there or not “.Under the general criminal law that is IPC 1860 section 354(A) defines sexual harrasment as a man commited Any physical touch/ contact/ advances which are unwelcome in nature of acts which are sexually explicit or in regard to making demands or requests of favours which are sexual in nature. The convict can be punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or fine or both.

Under the incident representation of women( prohibition) Act (1987) the convict is liable for a minimum sentence of two years.

Under the sexual harrasment at workplaces (prevention, prohibition and redressal) Act 2013 after the complaint is forward to the police, a case is registered within 7 days under applicable section of IPC and similar punishment mentioned above is imposed as required.

But sadly such legislations do not have practical implications on ground. They are merely theoretical in nature. If such laws had practical applicability we, females would not have suffered since decades.

In order to get rid of this unethical behaviour, it is necessary for parents to teach their children moral and religious standards. Instead of instructing daughters to shy away from things. It is need of an hour to teach your sons to lower your gaze and restraint from inappropriate activities which causes trouble to female’s spirit.

Back in winter, i was traveling with my chums in a local bus and what i witnessed was really unbearable to see. I felt blue after that incident when a creepy guy was literally trying to fulfill his lust in an indecent way and the same was happening with a full covered girl. I felt sorry for that poor girl who become victim of his lust unnecessarily such incident still haunts me as if it was nightmare. Irony was when i asked her why don’t you take stand her reply was,” i experienced same incident before also but when i shared it with my parents they blame me instead and warned me not do such things again”.i was shocked by her response. I wondered how can parents let this happen to their daughter ! It is duty of parents to help them to express their views and to raise voice for themselves.

No one in this world deserves to go through sexual harrasment, we all have the right to live freely without being harrassed, bullied or discriminated against. It is the reason why sexual harrasment is illegal.

To conclude, sexual harrasment is a very real issue that went unnoticed for long period of time, but not anymore. It is essential for all of us to take measures to prevent it form happening as it damages the life of victim severely. Thus make sure you help out those who are suffering from sexual harrasment and make the culprit answerable.

Let’s preserve women!
Let’s preserve society!

By Irtiqa farooq womens right activist ,B.A student)