College girls in the city recount gross acts of eve teasing that they have been subjected to and feel there should be helpdesks attended by policewomen.
Girls from South Mumbai colleges talk about how eve teasing is getting more gross
The urchins outside college do intolerable things. I have heard that they ejaculate in their hands and then brush their hands against girls. It is disgusting. As soon as you as you get out of college you are greeted with a host of whistles and dialogues like 'hey sexy, aati kya?' In fact, we are so immune to it that we don't even react.
We don't even know if it is sexual harassment. When we go to the cops they ask us questions like why do you dress like this? There should be helpdesks attended by policewomen. I and surely most girls feel awkward about going up to a policeman and telling him that there is a guy masturbating outside my college. I don't even know how to explain this to a cop. — Sonu Bohra/Jai Hind College
Just a few days ago, my friends and I were getting out of college when we saw a guy opposite us masturbating. We were horrified. The guy started making obscene gestures and calling us to come to him. This all happened in broad daylight. Though we were not physically abused we were very disturbed. Every time we think of this incident we cringe with disgust. Another time, this guy standing outside college saw us and started stripping. Churchgate has so many colleges, I think that there should be a police station which is close by, so that we can get help as soon as we dectect a possible eve teaser on the prowl. The problem is very serious. — Arpita Kamuria/KC College
We were walking out of college in the evening when we noticed this guy following us. At first, we ignored it, but soon he started getting closer. We then realised that this guy was masturbating as he followed us. We ran from there. What irks me is that there were so many people there, but no one bothered to stop him. It is like we are almost encouraging them with our silence. We are afraid to do anything. Once when my friend slapped a guy, he and his friends carried her and threw her on the footpath and no one did a thing. Police vans should drive regularly around areas like Churchgate, which host numerous colleges. They should arrest and fine them. — Hiral Ruparel/Jai Hind College
Amisha recounts her horror
Amisha Jalota
Nana chowk
It all started last summer with an e-mail forward that I had replied to, wondering if I knew the person. This person, who started this whole mess, initially claimed to be 'Pinky'. He coolly claimed that he was lesbian and that he wanted us to be friends.
After I started ignoring all these messages, he started calling at odd hours in the night. These were accompanied by weird sounds also. Pinky just didn't want to give up. A few days later, I received an obscene message. The language was so filthy that I didn't even want to read it.
After the initial few rounds of messages, he said his real name was Vicky and that he wanted to meet me and be friends with me. This was the last straw. I lost my cool and went off to the nearest police station from my house —the Gamdevi police station.
I went to the police station four times. And each time I went there I had to repeat my saga and show them the messages that I had received. All they did was noted down the date and time of the message in their red note book and told me they would take care of the matter.
I clearly remember my last visit to the police station was on August 15th 2005, our Independence Day. This was also the day when I received another message which implied that he would come and rape me and that he knew everything about me; where I stay, my usual hangouts, my college, and almost everything.
Nothing seems to have happened from their end, I mean from the police’s end. I still get those disgusting messages and calls at odd hours.
Hit them with the law book
Shrikant Bhatt
(Shrikant is a criminal lawyer)
One can approach the Joint CP Mira Borwankar who has a reputation of dealing with such cases stringently. One can also approach Dr Sanjay Apranti at the Social Service branch which deals with cases like these, amongst others. Sec 354 of the IPC deals with such acts. Sec 110 of the Bombay Police Act pertains to disorderly behaviour in public and can be applied here.
Here are examples of eve-teasing:
- Whistling or making obscene gestures
- Singing vulgar or suggestive songs, passing lewd remarks
- Pushing, shoving or any inappropriate physical contact
- Any physical contact that injures, frightens or annoys
- Any act which threatens to intrude a person's privacy
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}