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Women take up cudgels against stalkers
Gearing up for self-defence- With an unparalled spurt in women-related crimes in tricity, women take steps to safeguard their dignity. Ranging from martial arts, pepper sprays to downloading mobile apps that send out warning alerts, women are arming themselves for any emergency, leaving nothing to chance.
The surge in the number of women-related crimes in the tricity is appalling. It is a stark reminder that something has gone drastically wrong with the society.
The crime data, coupled with the HT-IDC survey findings, reveals the degradation of moral values in a society where women — irrespective of their professional stature or social standing — are subjected to derogatory remarks, lewd behaviour, lascivious stares, groping and some grabbing. The list is endless.
Despite their claims of upgrading the security apparatus, the failure of the authorities to check sexual harassment has further worsened the scenario.
Tired of hoping and endlessly waiting for something positive to happen, women have finally taken matters in their own hands and decided to safeguard themselves.
From taking self-defence classes, carrying pepper sprays to downloading mobile apps that send out emergency alerts at the click of a button, women are arming themselves for any emergency, leaving nothing to chance. HT brings updates on self-defence techniques to help you stay safe:
SELF-DEFENCE LESSONS
Master BS Handa (51), a 5th Dan Black Belt and founder of Extreme Martial Arts, says in the wake of the Delhi gang-rape and rise in incidents of sexual harassment, more women were opting for martial arts classes for self-defence.
“We give safety tips to women to protect themselves,” he adds.
Handa is currently offering a two-month crash course at Guru Gobind Singh Bhawan, Sector 15, and St. Stephens School, Sector 45, Chandigarh, at Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500.
“The course focuses on physical and mental fitness. We teach them to use elbow, knee, fingers and other body parts as weapons, besides basic techniques such as fingers strike, palm strike to nose, palm strike to chin, straight elbow to chin, hammer strike to nose, knee strike between legs, straight kick between legs etc,” he says.
However, his daughter, Ekjot Kaur (23), a 3rd Dan Black Belt, differs from her father and feels there is not much awareness.
A graduate in Sports Sciences specialising in Taekwondo from South Korea, Kaur says, “Martial arts is a compulsory subject in other countries, but we keep waiting for things to take an ugly turn before initiating measures. Even after the recent rape cases, the figures of girls joining self-defence classes has not gone up. Out of 10, only two or three girls come forward.”
The father-daughter duo can be contacted at www.emafitness.com
Dance Dacha, owned by Jasmeet K Shan, also took the initiative to provide self-defence classes in August this year.
“We train girls how to hit back when they are harassed or touched inappropriately. Though girls have strong wrists, they don’t know how to use it. If someone holds you from behind and you have a mobile phone in your hand, you should strike at his nose with it. It will directly hit his brain. By the time he regains consciousness, you can attack his other sensitive parts,” she says. Shan says her next batch would commence in January at British School, Sector 44, Chandigarh. Her website is: www.dancedacha.com
APPS, ALERTS FOR YOUR AID
During an emergency, all one needs is a timely alert to save oneself. Software firms have come up with multiple apps for sending out emergency alerts. You need to go to Google play store online, download and install the App on your mobile, fill in your details and emergency contact numbers. With this, you can alert your near and dear ones at the click of a button, providing your location too. A GPS-enabled Smartphone with internet pack is the basic requirement. Here are some popular ones for troubled times:
VithU app:
An emergency app developed on the initiative of Gumraah team of Channel V. If you click twice on the power button of your smart phone, this free-to-use app starts sending out alert messages every two minutes to your contacts designated as receivers or guardians. The message reads: “I am in danger. I need help. Please follow my location.” The receiver gets a link to your location every two minutes.
Sentinel:
An ultimate app to improve your personal security. It can send instant alerts and works in multiple scenarios even without triggering an alert manually. It can send alerts even if your phone gets destroyed by the attacker. It is available on iPhone and Android.
Fightback:
India’s first mobile application for women safety, it uses Facebook, GPS, SMS, location maps, GPRS, email to alert your loved ones on the press of a button. It updates your Facebook status, which is visible to all friends, with SOS message. When a friend clicks on the status, it takes him/her to the web portal alert page, showing your location with time stamp.
Nirbhaya:
Has a unique shake alert feature. An alert goes out to a group of contacts assigned a “hot key” even if the phone is locked. With improved location updates, the chosen contacts can get accurate location updates. It sends alerts using SMS, call or Facebook.
bSafe:
Gives your current GPS location to your friends. Though a paid app, basic services such as SOS and fake call feature – it triggers a fake call to help you extricate yourself from an unsafe situation – are free. Sound and video recording are available in premium service.
RAZOR-SHARP RESPONSE
Pepper sprays, Swiss knives, metal water bottles and portable rods are the new accessories. Mukesh Rana, manager, Atma Ram and Sons, Sector 14, says, “Of all equipment, pepper sprays are in high demand. It is available at Rs 200.” Also, stun guns and tasers are available on various sites online.
What women Say
Action against sexual harassment
Chandigarh Mohali Panchkula
Complained to police 7 19 7
Raised alarm 0 10 4
Answered back 10 10 11
thrashed the man 3 0 2
(all figures in %)Source: HT-IDC survey
Women, especially girls below 18 years of age prefer to keep cases of sexual harassment under wraps.
Only 11% women, including young girls, give a befitting reply to their stalkers and 4% raise an alarm against sexual harassment, according to the HT-IDC survey on women safety.
The number of women, who take on and beat up their harassers, is negligible at less than 3%.
Girls below 18 years of age, the most vulnerable age group, mostly suffer in silence.
In Panchkula, 43% young girls choose to maintain silence mum on sexual harassment. In Chandigarh, the figure is 36%. Hardly any of the girl students reports the matter to the school authorities.
Guest column: Pallavi Singh
‘I am suddenly conscious of my vulnerability as a woman’
I came to Jalandhar as a young, married girl. The city has come a long way and I can’t imagine myself living elsewhere. It is greener, comparatively clean and people are humble. My children were born here. I can’t recall any untoward incident of men passing snide remarks or harassing women.
I was horrified to know about the Delhi gang-rape case and other such crimes. A fear has set in. As a woman and mother, I constantly look over my shoulder, avoid being alone when it’s dark. I have advised my daughter never to look a stranger directly in the eye! I am suddenly conscious of my vulnerability as a woman.
I don’t want to sound cynical, but I don’t know if I can trust anyone. With these so-called godmen, family members or bosses at the work place, danger lurks everywhere. It is not unusual for masses to fear losing their dignity and self respect. The phrase “weaker sex” holds more relevance today than before.
I shudder to approach the police in any emergency. I don’t think they are sensitive towards women’s problems. Though I have counselled my daughter to avoid an ugly confrontation, I don’t know how to teach her to face one. Men, by and large, always play a dominant role at home and work. Men are culturally conditioned to control and dominate.
We need to inculcate moral values, respect women, teach our children to accept difference of opinion and rejection with grace.
Though the Nirbhaya case has raised awareness among people and there is a marginal increase in the percentage of reported incidents, a lot more needs to be achieved.
Respect for a women’s dignity, a sincere pledge to bridge the gender bias, swift and exemplary punishment to the perpetrators will go a long way in making our country a safe place for women.
The writer is a Jalandhar-based freelancer
HerStory
‘I REMOVED MY SANDAL AND BEAT HIM’
I stay in Dadumajra and have been working in a beauty parlour in Sector 35 from the last 10 years. I daily cycle to my workplace. The journey is an ordeal as I face constant harassment by roadside romeos who pass lewd remarks. Things became unbearable two months ago when a middle-aged man used to indulge in obscene gestures when I passed outside Kisan Bhawan. He repeated the shameful act over the next few days. One day, I took along three women colleagues and confronted him. Before he could react, I removed my shoes and gave a sound beating to him. He fled from the spot. I did not see him again. Though we talk about developing as a nation, the situation has worsened in terms of women safety.
The writer works in a beauty parlour
voxpop
Are you prepared to give a befitting reply?
Be proactive
The city is no longer safe. One needs to be proactive to prevent danger. I have gifted an alarm to my wife which has the weirdest, loudest sound for use in case of an emergency. Also, I have registered her number on VithU app for her safety.
Ankush Chopra, PR professional
Keep pepper sprays
Leave aside strangers, one cannot even trust close ones. A girl should always keep a pepper spray in her bag. I keep a portable rod in my car. Once a boy was harassing me, I hit him with my heels.
Simran Sandhu, aerobics teacher
Keep things handy
The concept of self-defence is still stuck in the stone age. Even simple things can be useful. For example, pain relief ointment like Moov. Once my friend applied a little bit on his eyelashes, he couldn’t see properly for 45 minutes.
Sadhvi Jethi, student, Post-Graduate Government College
Remain alert
The best precaution is to remain alert. Kick-boxing, karate and taekwondo are self-defence techniques and fun to learn, besides being great for fitness. Girls must give top priority to their security and acquire self-defence skills.
Rahul Gupta, CEO, Global Environment Concern
Never give up
Women aren’t safe anywhere. They are at a risk of being raped. They are targeted by snatchers, stalkers, face domestic violence, sexual assault etc. They don’t have to give up and surrender. Training in self-defence is a must for everyone.”
Heer Bhinder, student, Khalsa College
Be vigilant
Girls should be more vigilant at night and in isolated places. Be wary of stalkers. Avoid attacking the harasser alone. If you happen to be on your college campus, report the matter to the authorities.”
Rajni Jassal, assistant professor of sociology, USOL, Panjab University
