Eighty per cent of the women in national capital New Delhi are concerned about their safety, says a study backed by the Central government.
This finding comes a day after over 1,000 students of a Delhi college protested against the molestation of their classmate by an aspiring policeman. Such incidents have made residents of the city sit up and take notice about how safe the city is for women.
Ironically, the study also shows that women living in posh areas are more concerned about their security than those living in the more conservative parts of Delhi.
We look at why the national capital has become such an unsafe place for women and why these women are so insecure of moving around in the city.
The study was conducted based on responses of 630 women selected from different parts of the city areas in the Capital by the National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science at the behest of the home ministry's Bureau of Police Research & Development.
According to the study, most women raised concerns about their safety at shopping malls.
Around 70 per cent of the women also said that they were afraid to walk on the streets after dark as it was highly unsafe.
Senior police officers say there is a rampant problem of eve-teasing in the city.
It is difficult to keep a tab on such persons from time to time, but generally the police will act if they receive a complaint, they add.
However, Shalini Mehta, a women's rights activist, points out that police action needs to be stronger. On most occasions, eve-teasers are let of with a warning and there is every chance of them getting back at the girl. This fear prevents most of the girls from lodging a complaint.
The reason why the posh locales of Delhi are becoming more and more unsafe is thanks to the advent of shopping malls and high-flying hang outs. Such areas are usually frequented by the younger generation who spend a considerable amount of time there. There are persons who come in from other parts of the city and hang out near these malls and all they do is trouble these girls, says Shalini.
Apart from the most common problem of eve-teasing, women in the city have also voiced in their concerns about the kidnapping and robbery.
Piya Tyagi, an advocate, says there is a complete lack of security in public places. The maximum we would find is a couple of security guards who I am sure are unable to handle such a situation.
A police outpost at every public place is a must in the capital, where the number of crimes against women is rising, she adds.
A recent incident in which a woman was beaten up in broad daylight by a man after she accidentally hit against his car is just another story to narrate as to how unsafe the city is. Here are a few other examples to show how much more unsafe the city was becoming.
On Saturday last, a college student was allegedly molested by a group of aspiring policemen near Vijaynagar as she was getting into an auto rickshaw. In a separate incident, another girl was allegedly molested outside a college by a clerk. In a similar incident, four Manipuri girls were victimised by a group of men.
The girls complained that they had to come on to the streets and shout slogans before a complaint was even lodged. Such is the apathy in this city, points out Pooja Sharma, a science student.
Joint Commissioner of Police P R Meena has assured that the matter will be looked into and action will be initiated.
A lady, who drives to her residence in Noida daily, says she makes it a point to reach before 6 pm. Any time after that is unsafe to be driving on those roads, she says.
The same is the case of Pallavi Naik, who lives in Gurgaon. She says that if it is late, she stays over at her friend's place. The roads to both Noida and Gurgaon are considered to be highly unsafe to drive in the evenings as the crime rate is constantly on the rise.
According to Kiran Bedi, the chairperson of the BPR&D, the fear of the police is more among those living in slums than plush areas. She also points out that Delhi needs a specific plan for policing such as setting up specific help lines.
The other factors that are being pointed out are insufficient patrolling and the snail's pace at which complaints are being taken by the police. The Delhi police says that the report will help them set right the problems in the city and that they would use the report in a positive manner as the prime concern is the security of residents, particularly women.
The Report:
The report shows that 50 per cent of the women feel unsafe to commute in buses, 20 per cent in autos and 10 per cent on the roads. While a majority of these women were from the uptown areas, only 8.7 per cent of the women felt unsafe in slum areas.
The study also shows that people living in the slums trusted the police more that those living in the other areas.
The report pointed out that women would feel more confident about the cops in the city if they were most honest or atleast spoke politely to them.
