This is not their domain, but Anganwadi workers have responded proactively against one of the most disturbing social menaces the society is living with. Handful of the Savikas have volunteered themselves in spreading awareness among minor girls and tipping them on how to tackle incidents of sexual harassment.
The initiative has begun in the anganwadis around six months looking at the lumping cases of sexual abuse the adolescent girls are facing inside and outside houses in their daily life. Interestingly, the idea to make the girls coming mostly from conservative families aware is a brain-child of these workers. Minor girls are taught how to report and react to the abusive acts from a stranger or male member of their family or locality.
One such Anganwadi worker Sujata Khalkho near Jagannathpur Temple of Ranchi who interacts with girls aged below 18 years either by inviting them to her Anganwadi centre every Saturday or by visiting to their home said, “Girls in Below Poverty line families usually fall prey to any violence especially molestation. It is because they and their parents are unaware about the approaches made by a male while assaulting a girl. So, I thought to inform the girls on how to respond to such acts and share the injustice with parents or me so that we can counsel them.”
Similarly, Bokaro City’s Anganwadi worker Baby Devi advices her village girls to always carry chilly or pepper powder which can be thrown on a man attempting to molest them forcefully. The initiative is fueling sufficient courage and motivation among the girls and other of their age to raise voice in such situations of violence. Earlier, these girls hesitated to enquire but now they are coming forward.
16-year-old Sarita Kumari pursuing her intermediate in Yogoda Satsang College, Ranchi said, “There is a girl in my basti who was once raped by an aged uncle of her community. She hails from a conservative family where females are quite introvert so she could not share the torture with her mother or sister. Also, she was not aware about sexual harassment. As a result, she was frequently raped by the same man who used to threaten her not deny his request. later, she was forced to marry the man because of pregnancy.”
Kumari added, “The matter came to light when we were discussing about the information given in the Anganwadi center. It was then she realised that she was raped.”Also the localities such as Dhurwa and Jagannathpur blocks most of the homes lack toilets which make the women and girls more vulnerable to the crime.“Boys often try to harass us during this process. It is difficult to control nature’s call but we have no option. Young boys pass lewd comments if they see us in the field. Now, we girls go in groups and scream aloud whenever boys stalk us. It is all due the tips given in our anganwadi,” 11 year old Rima Kumari studying in standard three at a government school of Dhurwa said.
The effort may be noble but is yet to be promoted by Government officials or local administration. “Till date, Government has highlighted anti-sexual harassment steps taken at village level. None of the Anganwadi workers have told us that they are working in this area. This is something new,” said an official of Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Department.