Women Safety: An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

As I sit down to pen my thoughts around ‘women safety', I start thinking about the appalling and tragic incident that took place in the national capital and jolted the entire nation. Just before this incident, deep down in south India, an IT woman professional had faced an acid attack by her stalker who was so angry with her because she rejected his proposal. She will never be able to see the world again and she passed away yesterday. My friend, Sanjay Singh, who runs the " Chuppi Todo" campaign with us, informs me that 1 in every 10th girl child in India is sexually abused in some form or the other. And then I see the news today that someone as famous and would be believed to be ‘protected', Anoushka Shankar, is also a victim of such an unacceptable violence.

I was once robbed and attacked at gun point when I was in college, and I must confess that I did not get scared to walk in the streets after this incident, but I was so angry that someone had invaded my privacy and breached the unwritten contract this society has with me. This feeling still lasts in me, and no matter even if the attacker is brought to justice, the memories or feelings can not be erased.

While some of these incidents are not new in India, giving a safe and secure environment for women is becoming more and more a business and social imperative. IT industry offers direct employment to around 2.8 mn and is expected to grow more over the years. All companies continue to introduce best practices ranging from authorized cabs, security staff provided for late night cabs, 24/7 help centers, web applications for women to reach out in emergencies, awareness campaigns on defending one self and counseling support when women face any stray safety incidents.

3-Way Support

A lot otherwise is being said by various experts and media about upholding respect and dignity of women. But my point of view is that while all facilities and support systems are provided by the government and companies, the society should allow women to voice and assert when subjected to violence or face safety threats. By nature Indians do not speak up, but the new generation of Indian is introducing a new genre of culture of speaking up, that society at large should embrace now. Society should be zero tolerant and provide support in 3 ways-firstly accepting that women are not subservient and should speak up when their personal rights are violated; secondly do not stereotype women when they speak up and thirdly teach young girls on their privacy and their rights to say no when their safety and security is at threat.

While gender sensitivity sessions need to be introduced in all class rooms and work places, the most important and urgent action that every individual should get committed to is to teach the young girls of India to reach out to help lines or ask for protection when they are subjected to violence. Teach them to be safe, safe from strangers and their own family acquaintances; train them to feel equal with men and equip them with self-defense skills.

Time to take Action

Like they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, as companies continue to propagate and support safe workplaces that promote zero tolerance, it is time they extend this philosophy beyond their own work environment. It is time that companies lead and collaborate with NGOs and government to bring about a paradigm shift in the societies they operate in-time to say that we believe in gender neutral society which respects every human being, and is humanized in actions.