Eve teasing is very common social problem and every day women come-across some form of eve teasing. In this case, do you think that women should be empowered to fight back due
Introduction
As I was waiting in the car, immovable in the well-known traffic jam of Dhaka city, looking around for something exciting to catch my eyes, what I noticed was a girl waiting for the bus in a bus stop and two men behind her continuously staring at the “wrong places” and passing comments to each other. The girl looked uncomfortable as she waited for the bus, which never seemed to show up among the cluttered vehicles in the road. As I was witnessing this kind of an unethical behavior of the men towards the girl, I wondered why the girl was weak enough to not raise her voice and just ask them to “shut up”. Why she chose ignorance instead of what, that could make a change?
Sexual harassment, often known as “eve teasing”, is a regular occurrence for the women and girls of Bangladesh. A recent study by the BNWLA[1] showed that almost 90 percent of girls aged 10-18 have undergone the experience[2] this kind of incident even in her regular life. Being a student of a university it is uncountable for me. Living in the 21st century today, we are still having the mindset that women are discriminate in every session of their life. No matter she is a little girl, growing teenager, or even an office going women, she has been discriminated in house, road, office, or even in in-laws. Still today, women are not safe outside of their home. Whenever a girl goes out to school or any other places, her parents worry until her daughter returns home safe and sound. The mode for which women cannot live or move peacefully is Eve Teasing. Eve teasing is a violation of a woman’s basic right to live in dignity. Women have always been subject to eve teasing and the trend unfortunately, continues to grow. To comprehend the collision of sexual harassment on women one must take note to the account of its victims as no one conveys the meaning and truth of sexual harassment better than the women who have endured it. In answer to the query “What kind of emotional response does eve teasing /sexual harassment evoke in you”, not a single woman ticked the category of “indifferent”. The survey of the Gender Study Group[3] shows that most women felt disgusted, insulted and scared by any sort of harassment.
‘Eve Teasing’ & Our Society
When it comes to the term involving toward eve teasing, sexual harassment, rape, molestation etc are on all time high. The term eve teasing in our society, no matter what are the educational background, caste, complexion and race of women, many of them have gone through these unpleasant experiences[4]. Study shows, almost 90 percent of college going girls have experienced some sort of sexual harassment at different point of time[5]. The harassment can take a variety of forms and the perpetrators come from multiple walks of life; they are rich and poor, educated and uneducated; according to the BNWLA study, teenage boys, rickshaw pullers, bus drivers, street vendors, traffic police and often supervisors or colleagues of the working women had all been cited as “eve teasers”.
Sexual harassment, the experiences are traumatic and can leave deep psychological scars for the victims. According to the study of BNWLA also declared that in the past two years, at least 12 girls have committed suicide in circumstances stemming from “eve teasing”. [6]And the innocuousness of the label belies further violent implications. It is often associated with rape and murder.[7]
Not only that, because of increasing volume of eve teasing in rural and even in urban area, the drop-out rate of girls from school increases a lot.[8] Parents troubled about their daughter’s respect or security sometimes keep their daughters home and/or marry them off at an early age. So if we cannot ensure the protection of the future backbones of the country who are the mothers of future generations, there are no possibilities that we can gift better future either.
Eve teasing and sexual harassment has led to the deaths of more than 24 people since the beginning of 2010 and most of them are women. According to figures released by the Ain-O-Shalish Kendra (ASK) human rights organization, 14 girls and women have taken their own lives within the february 2010 and June 2010 across the country as a direct result of the insults.[9] In recent days, some of the people who have spoken out against eve teasing have been murdered. The most recent is the case of Champa Rani Bhowmik, who had been killed by a stalker. In last nine months, nine males lost their lives for standing up against the stalkers.[10]
Law against Eve Teasing in Bangladesh
In post-independent period of Bangladesh the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance (DMPO) of 1976 first perceived the women teasing directly.[11]. Section 76 of the ordinance defines women teasing as, “willful and indecent exposure of ones person in any street or public place within sight of, and in such manner as may be seen by, any woman, whether from within any house or building or not, or willful pressing or obstructing any woman in a street or public place or insulting or annoying any woman by using indecent language or making indecent sounds, gestures, or remarks in any street or public place”[12]. Having no idea about the level of harshness of the law, but the punishment of women-teasing is punishable with a maximum one year of imprisonment, or with a maximum TK2000 fine, or with both[13].
In 2000 the government enacted tougher law to protect the vulnerable women and children of the country from various typical offences. The Prevention of Women and Children Act-2000[14] came down heavily on the oppressors of the women. This act, inter alia, defined the now-much-talked-about sexual torture and sexual harassment.[15]
In section 10(1), the law defines sexual torture as, ” if a man touches the sexual organ or any other organ of a woman or of a child by any of his organs or by any other objects with a view to fulfilling his illegal sexual desire, such act of the man will be termed as sexual torture”. This definition, in fact, includes the attempt of rape or outraging the modesty of a woman by actual physical contract. The law punishes the offender with rigorous imprisonment of minimum 3 and maximum 10 years and also an indefinite amount of fine.[16]
In section 10(2), the law defines sexual harassment as, “if a man, with a view to fulfilling his illegal sexual desire outrage a woman’s modesty or makes erotic gesture, such act of the man will amount to sexual harassment”. A rigorous imprisonment ranging from 2 to 7 years and additionally an indefinite amount of fine is rewarded for this offence. According to this definition sexual harassment is an offence that is committed by not coming with actual physical contract to the victim.[17]
In 2004-5 the Bangladeshi women’s group, Mahila Parishad distributed a poster and conducted a campaign against eve-teasing because several young women, students, and even young girls committed suicide owing to social pressures-shame-daily harassment. In 2007, Advocate Habibun Nessa of Naripokkho, reported 29 suicide deaths in the last four years. In some cases the police colluded with the eve-teasers and blamed the women for their own problems. Bangladesh has no laws against eve-teasing, much less respect for women who dare to venture alone or even in groups in the streets[18].
Women Empowerment against Eve Teasing
Incidents of eve teasing are increasingly ending in deadly consequences, which are evident from the shocking stories that we see today in newspaper pages. Women are facing this kind of consequences almost every day in her life but as they are ignored in our society victims keep their mouth closed. Eve teasing has really left a huge impact at both our individual and national life. Victimized women and girls do not only get psychologically troubled, but also continuously feel insecure to go outside their homes. Eve teasing begins as an attempt to irritate a girl or catch her attention a lewd stare, a sly whistle, a well-timed clap, an unwarranted bump, a seemingly causal touch, a lingering look at a vulnerable time, the humming of suggestive song, passing downright uncouth comments, cheap gestures, display of indecent snaps or videos, giving “unwelcome call” or “missed call”, sending indecent text, all these are typical examples of eve teasing[19]. There is increasing realization that eve teasing severely restricts the mobility of women and girls, which is unquestionably a threat to women’s empowerment. All together, though apparently invisible, the cost of eve teasing is huge at our national and individual life.
There are legal provisions to spoil the offence, but those are either very weak or deficient of a clear-cut classification that how much punishment they are actually giving to those irresponsible men and how much attention is the victims are getting in future periods. On the other hand, no matter how weak those laws are, most people are unaware of their existence as they are hardly aware of any implementation of those.
Subsequently there is no disbelief to state widely that,
Women should be empowered against this kind of occurrence in our society.
Women deserve respect. Men and women are equal. Our lack of consciousness has lead to a loss of many lives. But we don’t want any more lives to say good bye to this world. Women have the right to live freely in the world. Independence is their birth right. They have the right to lead their lives as males. On the other hand, the family and society of the victims or teased girls should have the courage and resolve to support them. Most often, they are misunderstood by their family whenever they inform the family members about teasing. The family and society should support them mentally.
To Institute This Notion
With this attention, we have to take solid steps so that we can institute this all through the society and save our girls. To establish that people of different sections need to be aware about so many things. But first of all, the women of our society need to build a strong mentality to protest this occurrence sturdily.
Women should have some strategy to avoid this kind of teasers immediately. They should call police immediately and make sure that the police are taking necessary steps against them and to punish them according to the law. However, in some cases, raising our voices is not enough when it becomes inaudible to the world. Here they have to have the guidance of seniors to avoid any kind of harassment.
Sometimes a girl may have some fault too. Most of the families in our country posses an extremely restricted mentality and also have a propensity to be overly conservative on sexuality. This type of mentality also provoke eve teasing sometimes. Some boys argue that, this kind of dress up may stimulate them to tease those girls and they even believe that there is no blunder at all[20].
With the spread of education and economic well-being, the consequences of eve teasing are now widely known. Through this education we have to make aware the males of the society and teach them what a big sin they are doing. They should understand how to respect human beings who are the half of the population.
Parents can play a very important role to create this notion. Where they can teach their boys that how to behave with girls next door as well as they can teach teir girls how to prevent this kind of occurrence to protect their dignity.
Religious knowledge is also helpful here. In a nutshell, both the boys and girls should abide by their religious commands so that they won’t be encouraged eventually to do such kind of detested and annihilating activities.
It is very much disgraceful, shameful, and dishonorable for us if we ignore them and increase their guts to speak trash with their big mouths. However, in some cases, raising our voices is not enough when it becomes inaudible to the world. We should demand perpetrators brought to justice. So, what we need most now is to voice collective protest and action against eve teasing. Side by side, without ensuring a sensitive, supportive and responsible law-enforcing force, all efforts will go in vain. After all, they have a huge role in preventing all dreadful and unlawful incidents including eve teasing. So let’s get together and voice our collective protest against eve teasing and be familiar with it as a crime against humanity.
For dignity, respect and self-confidence, every woman has to raise their voices, shut up the big mouths and therefore, make a statement.
Bibliography
v Report on “The Hunger Project” pg.2, paragraph: 3
v Deepali Chdhoke’s ‘Impact of Sexual Harassment on Women’, P-1
v www.eveteasing.org
v Bangladesh National Women’s Lawyers Association (BNWLA). “81% Girls Fall Victim to Eve Teasing: Study.” BNWLA, July 2008.
v http://www.bnwla.org.bd/content/view/186/lang,en/. (accessed September 23rd, 2008).
v Bangladesh National Women’s Lawyers Association (BNLWA). “Eve Teasing.” BNWLA. http://www.bnwla.org.bd/content/view/165/133/lang,en/. (accessed September 23rd,
v 2008).
v http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/eve-teasing-in-bangladesh-causing-many-women-to-commit-suicide_100381144.html
v http://news.priyo.com/story/2010/nov/04/10877-stalker-rony-saha-confesses-killing-champa-rani
v http://www.weeklyblitz.net
v Defining and Penalizing the Offence of Eve Teasing by Razzak Raza, paragraph 9
v Discussion Board of a club in ‘Facebook’ called STOP! Eve Teasing
v Sexual Harassment survey: Law Firms & Courts Bar & Bench News Network
v www.bangladesh2day.com
[1] Bangladesh National Women Lawyers’ Association (BNWLA)
[2] Report on “The Hunger Project” pg.2, paragraph: 3
[3] See Deepali Chdhoke’s ‘Impact of Sexual Harassment on Women’, P-1
[4] See, www.eveteasing.org
[5] See, www.eveteasing.org
[6]See, Bangladesh National Women’s Lawyers Association (BNWLA). “81% Girls Fall Victim to Eve Teasing: Study.” BNWLA, July 2008.
http://www.bnwla.org.bd/content/view/186/lang,en/. (accessed September 23rd, 2008).
[7] See, Bangladesh National Women’s Lawyers Association (BNLWA). “Eve Teasing.” BNWLA. http://www.bnwla.org.bd/content/view/165/133/lang,en/. (accessed September 23rd,
2008).
[8] See, Fahmina, Taskin. “Violence Against Women: Statistics of the Last Five Years.” Law and Our Rights 10. (2008).
[9] See, http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/south-asia/eve-teasing-in-bangladesh-causing-many-women-to-commit-suicide_100381144.html
[10] See, http://news.priyo.com/story/2010/nov/04/10877-stalker-rony-saha-confesses-killing-champa-rani
[11] See, http://www.weeklyblitz.net
[12] See, Defining and Penalizing the Offence of Eve Teasing by Razzak Raza, paragraph 9
[13] See, Defining and Penalizing the Offence of Eve Teasing by Razzak Raza, paragraph 9
[14] See, Defining and Penalizing the Offence of Eve Teasing by Razzak Raza, paragraph 9
[15] See, Defining and Penalizing the Offence of Eve Teasing by Razzak Raza, paragraph 9
[16] See, Defining and Penalizing the Offence of Eve Teasing by Razzak Raza, paragraph 9
[17] See, Defining and Penalizing the Offence of Eve Teasing by Razzak Raza, paragraph 9
[18] Discussion Board of a club in ‘Facebook’ called STOP! Eve Teasing
[19] Sexual Harassment survey: Law Firms & Courts
Bar & Bench News Network
Oct 18, 2010
[20] See, www.bangladesh2day.com
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