While International Women’s Day is celebrated across the globe for gender equality and women empowerment on Thursday, safety remains main concern of women in the national Capital. And for those who came from the North-Eastern region to pursue higher study, the situation is even worse. They are facing all forms of sexual harassment on the street from lewd comments to ogling to obscene gestures. To the worst, some even said they somehow get used to such harassment.
The Pioneer spoke to girls hailing from the N-E States on the eve of Women’s Day and found that in the absence of police, streetlights and men roaming around on bikes outside the University Girls’ Hostel in the Indira Vihar, a sense of fear creeps in whenever they step out alone.
“Over the past two years, many a times I face humiliation in public and being ogled,” said Azakali Chishi, a Post Graduate student of DU's lady Sri Ram (lSR) College. like many girls from her State, Nagaland, Chishi came here for higher study. little did she know that she would be made to feel like an alien. “While travelling in the Metro, several times people just keep ogling us,” said Chishi, who has recently shifted to Indira Vihar from South Delhi.
Another girl from N-E, Kesang C Basi, pursuing MSc in Maths, said despite living in Delhi for the past five years, she still feels like an outsider. “last year, while I was heading towards my flat, a man in his car stopped beside me and started masturbating. Before I could react, he fled. When I went over to the police booth, they did not attend to my grievance. That was the last time I stepped out alone in the evening. That incident had left a deep scar on my mind,” said Kesang, who hails from Sikkim.
However, Kesang feels that residential areas in North Campus are much safer than South Campus. Police vans patrol every hour yet men continue to stand outside the girls' hostel, she rued.
Mharhoni, also from Nagaland, who is doing Political Science (Hons) in the lSR, said while she has somehow got used to being ogled. “There was one incident in which a group of men, pretending to be looking at their phones, clicked my picture. I went up to them and made them delete the pictures. If we move in groups, we still feel safe but moving out alone, we feel a sense of fear lurking in our mind,” she said.
Esther, another DU student, said, “There have been several instances when I have been stared at, sneered at. People think we don't understand Hindi so they can say anything but we do understand their gestures and body language.”
Eva lampong, a student from Arunachal Pradesh, said, “People in Delhi look at us as if we are alien. People stare at us and pass snide comments at us which most of the time I don't understand. As far as police are concerned, I don’t see many cops here in Indira Vihar.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Aslam Khan said, “We hold regular meetings with N-E students and try to address their grievances. The district police ensure that patrolling is done and they are not harassed.”