As far as Women Safety and Security is concerned I shall like to mention that NCRB reports India highlights the increasing vulnerability of Girls and Women in the last few years in India.
About this Episode
The reasons behind are many like Patriarchal mindset in our society, objectification of Women, deteriorating moral values,etc.This has created anxiety in the Social Activists regarding Women Safety.
The Psycho-social counselling can perhaps help in creating a sense of Safety amongst the Women.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) sometime back in its report has stated that one out of 3 women is a victim of physical and psychological violence resulting in long lasting negative health and psychological consequences.
Concerted and effective interventions are required to beat this problem.
The key areas of interventions
Opinion makers should take a lead, prosecution of offenders should be made effective, police officers should be trained to become more gender sensitive, education and awareness should be started from Childhood, ingrained Psychology of Patriarchy needs to be changed, activists like our Speaker today can play a major role. Prevention of Sexual Harassment at workplaces is a concern.
Action under POSH – Prevention of Sexual Harassment should be effectively taken.
Sexual Harassment in the workplace is a rising concern.
What constitutes Sexual harassment?
Indian Laws on prevention of Sexual Harassment at workplace are
i) The Vishaka Judgement, 1997
ii) Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013
If we take into account other forms of indirect violence like stalking the women, the studies indicate that 45% of women have suffered this type of violence during their lifetime.
The studies go to show the magnitude of the problem.
Education and awareness starting from Childhood and in schools.
The root cause of violence is the Male behaviour based on ingrained Psychology of Patriarchy. This needs a change in mindset.
Women activists can play a major role and our speaker today is the one who is in the forefront of this movement.
She is the one who has most importantly made it important
That the Girls and women's voices must be heard loud and clear.
Let interventionist connect with those women who can provide necessary inputs
Make safe places, train frontline health workers, security of public toilets, construction of secure shelters and provide age appropriate health services to the women.
What this session covered
This session, part of NISSMAT's interactive series, took the form of a single invited guest speaker — described in the introduction as a women's rights activist and author — addressing the theme of women's safety, its vulnerabilities and possible interventions. The host opened and closed the session and put audience questions to the speaker; the format was an address followed by questions from participants rather than a panel debate.
The speaker's central argument was that girls should be brought up to be psychologically and mentally strong from childhood, and she returned repeatedly to the differing treatment of girls and boys within the home, including restrictions placed on girls' movement. Drawing on inquiry work connected with a national women's commission, she recounted cases of sexual violence in rural settings and the social stigma borne by survivors and their families, including the difficulty faced by relatives of survivors. The discussion also referred to national crime statistics and to international reporting on psychological violence, and touched on the influence of political leadership, films and television, workplace harassment, and practical measures such as street lighting.
In the question-and-answer portion, participants raised the responsibility of political leaders and public figures for women's safety, how women might protect themselves when travelling alone (to which the speaker again emphasised mental and psychological strength), and the current status of reforms following the Delhi gang-rape case. On the last point the discussion covered a committee set up afterwards to review criminal law (referred to in the session as the Justice Verma Committee), the amendments to criminal law that followed, and recommended measures such as a woman officer at every police station and the ability to register a complaint at any police station, alongside the observation that enforcement at the grassroots level had remained weak.
Key points raised
- The speaker's core theme was the psychological and mental empowerment of girls from childhood as a foundation for women's safety.
- The differing treatment of girls and boys within the home, including restrictions on girls' movement, was presented as a root concern.
- Cases of sexual violence in rural settings were recounted from inquiry experience to illustrate the stigma borne by survivors and their families.
- The discussion referenced criminal-law reforms following the Delhi gang-rape case and noted that grassroots enforcement had remained weak.
- Practical interventions raised included street lighting, workplace protections, and a woman officer at every police station.
- Questions from participants addressed the role of political leadership and public figures and how women might protect themselves when travelling alone.
