A city’s livability and development can be gauged not by the number of skyscrapers it has but from the simple statistics on how safe women are in the city.
Should I go out this late for the movie?
Should I take the cab from the airport or should I ask someone to come along?
Should I wear this dress and go out?
These are just a few questions that a woman has to ask herself before planning on something as basic as going out to a restaurant or a movie. We as a country earned our freedom more than half a century ago, but sadly, the women in our country still haven’t. The latest incident of the rape and murder of Priyanka Reddy in Hyderabad is proof of that.
A city’s livability and development can be gauged not by the number of skyscrapers it has but from the simple statistics on how safe women are in the city. If women do not feel safe in the city, then the city is not safe to live in for anyone. Period.
But how do we change the current state of affairs? How do we make Bangalore safer for women? We asked this question to some of the well known people in the city. Here is what they had to share.
Nikita Sharma
This has happened again. Another daughter of the country had to pay the price because we failed her. How do you think we can ensure that it doesn’t happen ever again.
This is one of the most sickening act of humanity. The word humanity in itself has lost all meaning. We need to understand that women are not objects and this sick need of men to somehow satisfy their sadistic urge no matter what it takes, needs to be cut at the root. We need to make stronger laws in which after having committed such a heinous crime, there is no life left for the culprit to live in the eyes of the law. We need to spread more awareness about sex and destroy the concept of it being a taboo. Sex education goes such a long way to educate people in the things most people spend all their lives being unaware of.
Does your work require travelling at night? Do you feel safe in the city?
Yes I do travel quite a lot and especially at night due to convenient flight timings. Apart from Mumbai and Bangalore, I don’t really feel safe anywhere else. And even in these cities, each day, I begin to worry about my safety more and more simply because of these cases coming up in the news almost every single day!
What kind of precautions do you take when travelling at night? What would you like to advice women to do?
We shouldn’t have to take precautions in the first place simply because it shouldn’t come down to that. But sadly it has, and therefore I would honestly suggest all the women to actively participate in self defence classes. Being the daughter of an army officer, I’ve learnt extensive self defence and is definitely something that can come in handy. When I travel at night, I have some of the most important numbers on speed dial, and girls should too. It can really come handy.
Protima Tiwary
This has happened again. Another daughter of the country had to pay the price because we failed her. How do you think we can ensure that it doesn’t happen ever again.
Women have been doing everything to stay safe – right from keeping a check on what they wear and what time do they get back home at. Honestly, it’s like imprisonment, isn’t it? But because of societal conditioning we’ve been made to feel like it’s our responsibility to watch out for ourselves. While it is, who’s going to teach the men to behave? It’s the men who need to be punished so that women can roam around freely again. Capital punishment isn’t the answer – it’ll lead to more fear. But stricter laws and punishment are definitely needed.
Does your work require travelling at night? Do you feel safe in the city?
Yes. I travel at night in Pune, Mumbai and Bangalore, but never alone. It’s just one of those things where you know you shouldn’t be out alone, so you’ll move in groups. Delhi has made me feel uncomfortable yes.
What kind of precautions do you take when travelling at night? What would you like to advice women to do?
Almost always with a group. Plus covering up if we’re wearing dresses, sharing trip details with everyone, pretending to be on a call in case things look shady, carrying a pepper spray etc etc. Women should not be doing any of this. But we have to.
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Martin Dsouza
This has happened again. Another daughter of the country had to pay the price because we failed her. How do you think we can ensure that it doesn’t happen ever again.
Increased police patrolling. Stricter punishments for the criminals. And education about respect towards women from a younger age itself.
Does your work require travelling at night? Do you feel safe in the city?
Yes it does. And I don’t think it’s safe for women in the city.
What kind of precautions do you take when travelling at night? What would you like to advice women to do?
Never travel alone. Keep your family and friends informed constantly. Always keep your phone charged. Never stop anywhere isolated or converse with strangers. Carry pepper spray or a taser.
Devina Lason
This has happened again. Another daughter of the country had to pay the price because we failed her. How do you think we can ensure that it doesn’t happen ever again.
Enforcement of sex education from a young age in schools, universities and homes. Nationwide campaigns to educate the masses on this topic which is still considered taboo to majority of the population in this country. This coupled with harsh judicial punishment of any level of sexual abuse where the same is also publicised widely though government videos and campaigns in villages, small cities, towns and metros. The govt and media are not doing enough to scare the masses about the consequences of sexual abuse and the truth is the punishments are in reality not adequate to the crimes. Just the way the anti tobacco campaigns are telecast on TV, cinemas before every movie, news papers, social media etc, the same needs to be done to spread awareness of the immense pandemic of sexual abuse in the country and its consequences; not just at the time of a national tragedy like this one and a few months later the matter fizzles away from people’s awareness.
Does your work require travelling at night? Do you feel safe in the city?
Yes it does and no I do not. I have worked across India and till date I have to ensure the company provides reliable transport after a certain hour or else a family member will fetch/ drop me. Being of European origin it’s so bizarre that being an adult I still ask my father to come fetch or drop me at night, a concept unheard of for any adults living in the west. However in India it has to be safety first and we are accustomed to thinking that this is regular behavior.
What kind of precautions do you take when travelling at night? What would you like to advice women to do?
Personally, I avoid travelling unaccompanied after a certain hour. I find Mumbai to be relatively safer than Delhi and Bangalore, I’ve lived and worked in all 3 cities. If I am alone I try to be talking on the phone with someone during the journey. At times if I sense an untoward behavior of the driver like staring at me in the mirror I stare back and straight up confront him on what he’s staring at and why. This does tend to work, where you make it clear that you won’t sit passively if feeling uncomfortable. I think it’s important for women to present this tough front so that the men around know that there will be consequences to their actions if they try anything instead of assuming they will easily get away with acts like teasing, staring, etc.
Jonas Monteiro
This has happened again. Another daughter of the country had to pay the price because we failed her. How do you think we can ensure that it doesn’t happen ever again.
It is really outrageous that in a country where we say we respect women and in a country where we worship female Gods, we have hate crimes and rapes happening towards women. Makes me ashamed to call myself a man. There are many ways we can tackle this situation: 1. Make sex education compulsory in schools and colleges. Train parents on how to provide sex education. If children are curious, they will do it by finding their own ways which may not always be the right way 2. Make prostitution legal. The men will have a place to direct their sexual drive and with consent. And to avoid human trafficking and spread of sexual diseases with prostitution, the government can regulate it and have the whole system in place. Let the sex workers have human rights as they are human beings as well 3. Stop watching, promoting and encouraging films and TV series that objectify women. We see, we get carried away, and we want that in our lives. We are all human beings with immense desires waiting to be met, whether it’s sexual or even the desire for power or dominance. Start banning such films, protest against directors/ producers making those films, protest against artists composing such songs and protest against actors featuring themselves in such movies and music videos.
Does your work require travelling at night? Do you feel safe in the city?
It does. Even as a man I don’t feel safe as India is the most unsafe country in the world now for anybody. I feel most unsafe when travelling late nights with a woman to drop her back from work or maybe from a dinner or party we have gone for. I keep thinking about her safety at all times during the journey. With such planned rape cases, anything can happen at any time.
What kind of precautions do you take when travelling at night? What would you like to advice women to do?
1. I inform at least two of my friends and one family member when I’m travelling at night while chatting with them. Just informing them about my whereabouts and say one other person who might be at the place I’m going to who can serve as an alibi if something unfortunate does ever happen. 2. If I’m travelling by cab/ auto/ booking a vogo or bounce, I share the details of the vehicle number and driver with my flat mate and one with either my mom or dad. 3. I share my live location on WhatsApp with a close friend when travelling to new places I would advise women to try any of these, if it would help them in feeling safer. Secondly, carry pepper spray or even a tazer every time you leave your home
Note from the author:
Gaurav Bora
It’s really sad that it has come to this where women have to feel imprisoned in order to feel safe. In the last fifty years, we as a country have achieved so much, and yet, when it comes to women empowerment and safety we are found lacking. But this has to change and it’s time we did something ourselves. If we need the situation to change, then it is upon all of us to contribute in some way and make it better for our dear ones. The government may be trying hard to keep everyone safe, but considering the different limitations it has it may not be able to reach all the people.
And that is why Bangalore Insider is supporting the SaveSoul Initiative, an invite-only membership app where one can alert the people around their location when they are in danger. It’s an invite only app where every member of the community has to be invited or referred by existing members, or be approved by the SaveSoul team. This is very important as we want to create a community which is trust worthy and which can help people around them when anyone is in danger. And as I had mentioned before, all of us together have to do this. Only then we will be able to create a community safety shield where we know that someone out there near our location will always be there to help us.
If you want to be a part of the SaveSoul community and keep yourself and the people around you safer, then register in the following link – SaveSoul Registration
Have any suggestions?
If you have any suggestion or feedback on what else we can do to make it better, please get in touch with me on email (gaurav@bangaloreinsider.com). You can also reach out to me on the following platforms – Linkedin | Instagram
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