If you thought urchins, with their lewd glances and/or comments, make women feel uncomfortable on streets, then think again. DNA spoke to several women who said that even policemen are lecherous.
“They pretend as if they are very nice to us. If we wear sleeveless dresses while talking, they make it a point to touch our hand, elbow or shoulder,” said Advaitha, a media professional. She said that policemen take an extra ‘interest’ in checking them.
“From watchmen to policemen, everyone on the street makes me feel uncomfortable with his looks and acts,” Advaitha added.
Other women had similar stories. They said they do not feel safe in the city, courtesy the harrowing time they have to endure on the streets.
DNA asked the women whether they feel comfortable wearing any dress they want or does the fear of unwanted attention deter them. While most women said that the fear of lewd glances is indeed real, it does not inhibit their dressing style.
Swarnalatha, a media professional, said she wears all types of dresses, except those with high hemlines and low necklines. She said that ‘eve-teasing’ is a problem, but she does not give too much attention to it and goes about her work, pretending nothing happened.
Safer in jeans
Swarnalatha pointed out that she faces more teasing when she steps out in chudidars or salwars, compared with jeans.
From her own experience, Advaitha, too, said that men feel free to pass comments on a woman if she is dressed in Indian attire.
She said ever since she switched to wearing jeans or trousers instead of chudidars or salwars, fewer men have dared to take the liberty of passing comments, humming a tune or giving her ‘that’ look.
She said maybe wearing western attire gives an impression to the men that the woman is an outsider, thus bold, and may get back at them.
Advaitha added that people advise her on how to walk and talk, how to dress, etc to avoid attracting male attention. She said this is a futile exercise as men would find one reason or another to take potshots at women. She added that a woman, instead of changing the way she dresses, should avoid paying attentionn to such incidents and behave as if nothing happened. When someone passes a comment on her or starts singing a song, she puts on her earphones and walks on.
She said there is no point in confronting the harasser as no one is going to come to her help if the situation turns ugly and she is to be blamed for dressing ‘inappropriately’ anyway.
Vinti Varma, mother of a young girl, said she is worried when her daughter is out at night or if she is out alone. She said if a woman is teased, it does not mean something is wrong with her; it means something is wrong with the person teasing her.
She added that a woman in the city, regardless of whether she is a young woman or in her 50s, should avoid staying out at night and be careful about surroundings.
Complain, police will act: Mirji
City police commissioner Jyothi Prakash Mirji said strict action would be taken against the culprits, including policemen, who harass women.
But for that to happen, a complaint has to be lodged, he said.
He added that during checking and questioning, policemen are not supposed to touch the public, regardless of gender.
He said it is only in law and order situations that policemen may have to touch people to guide them to a safe place.
But even in this situation, he said, it is only the women constables and sub-inspectors who are allowed to touch women.
