Over the last few years, the issue of women’s safety has gained public attention and concern in Delhi. One does not need to look at the statistics collected by the National Crime Records Bureau to reveal that women in Delhi face high levels of violence. Even a random scan of the daily newspapers is enough to support this. Women in Delhi run the daily risk and fear of harassment, attack, assault, rape and murder, both within their homes and outside. Besides, there is a lack of confidence among policemen to curb harassment.
The survey Safe Cities Baseline Survey-Delhi 2010 gathered and analysed information about the nature and forms of gender-based violence and harassment faced by women, the role of governing agencies and police in safeguarding women’s rights, and societal perceptions and attitudes towards sexual harassment. The survey is based on interviews of 5,010 people, including 3,816 women and 944 men. The rest are common witnesses like bus conductors, shopkeepers and auto drivers who have possibly witnessed acts of sexual harassment against women.
According to a report, nearly three out of every five women reported facing sexual harassment not only after dark, but also through the day. But, it is a good sign that 68 per cent of the women deal with harassment in some way, like confronting the perpetrator or seeking help from family and friends. The main reasons for sexual harassment identified in the survey include lack of gender-friendly and functional infrastructure such as adequate lighting, sidewalks and safe public toilets, open consumption of alcohol and drugs by men, and lack of effective and visible police presence.
Female respondents expressed a dismal lack of confidence in the police to curb harassment, with only 0.8 per cent reporting such incidents to the authorities. The vast majority responded to harassment by confronting the perpetrator themselves or seeking help from family and friends.
The survey also highlighted public transport, buses and roads with faulty streetlights are spaces where women and girls face high levels of sexual harassment. The Delhi Government has planned to install CCTV cameras in city buses but it could not be materialised. The report on the findings of the survey included a number of recommendations like improving public infrastructure such as streetlights, sidewalks and privacy of public women’s toilets, publicising the use of helplines, deploying more policemen, and sensitising the public.