For a safe society

Mona

Anger, disgust, shock and pain have engulfed the country as the details of the Telangana rape and murder case surfaced. ‘She is not the first one to suffer such a fate in this country, but hopefully the last’—is the sentiment that’s on in people’s mind. If the clamour for severest of punishment for the perpetrators of the disgusting act trended with hashtags,  #PunishRapistsInPublic and #hangtherapist, it also reached both houses of Parliament with Jaya Bachchan among others demanding the rapists to be lynched in public.

Severe punishment to set an example or starting early to instil values that seems to have left our so-called human society... is there a way to make the country safe for women?

Among many, who took to social media to express their anger, is author Ravinder Singh. “It fails me why Nirbhaya’s rapists aren’t dead even seven years on,” he says. A fast-track trial that doles out stringent punishment in 15 days or a month’s time is what he pleads for, and also to change the way how we raise our children. “To raise our daughters to be strong enough to take anything that comes their way head-on and boys sensitised enough to give women their due respect is what we need.” 

Actor and poet Taranjit Kaur feels we must work at the grassroots level to know what’s making men so violent and how they think that they can vent out their frustration on women. “We must drill it into our boys that they should never cross the line with any woman and it must start right when they are young,” she appeals.

“The way out of this madness involves two ways —the first is that men have to be educated about how the current sense of masculinity is toxic and causing this horrid chain of crime. The second is that we have to find more and more ways to fill public spaces with women,” says Madhureeta Anand, founder of pre-emptive safety app Phree. “The onus of having a safe environment falls on society.”

Agreeing that our cinema still celebrates male toxicity, scriptwriter Sanjay Chouhan doesn’t see a societal change instantly. “While growing up in Bhopal, I recall my mother telling me this once, ‘If I ever hear that you have teased a girl, I will be the one to shoot you’ and that ensured to toe the line.” It’s those values and stronger laws that he advocates, like many others who demand a safe society!

What Chandigarh Police is doing

• PCR vehicle with women police constables are positioned near girls’ colleges/schools to respond immediately to any distress call.
• Self-defence training programme under the name SWAYAM to learn to cope with fear, to use various safety/protective measures to ensure their safety. 
• Ensuring 24by 7 presence of police in field. Focus on patrolling at isolated areas during odds hours.
• Rounding up of persons found roaming during odd hours. 
• Most of these crimes are committed under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Chandigarh Police takes action against person drinking at public places.
• Pick and drop facility for women, who feel insecure to reach her home or place of work during odd hours (10 pm-6 am).
• Six dedicated PCR vehicles (two vehicles per sub-division) with women staff have been deployed in the city, which cater to this facility. During the current year, 67 women/girls have availed this facility.

What you can do

• Each and every girl must undergo self-defence training programme and must know how to protect herself by using their daily use items like dupatta, belt, mirchi powder, spray, nails etc.
• During odd hours, always call the police for help in any distress instead of asking help from unknown person/s.
• While hiring a cab alone, always share the car number with near and dear ones. If possible share a photograph of the driver. 
• Always ensure that cab doors are not child locked.
• Always share live location with near and dear ones while driving alone.