Answer

Introduction

The recent incident in Indore, where women cricketers faced stalking and harassment, highlights India’s ongoing struggle to ensure women’s safety in public spaces. Despite governance reforms and economic growth, gender-based violence still limits women’s mobility, participation, and empowerment, reflecting deep-rooted institutional and societal barriers.

Body

Institutional Barriers Undermining Women’s Safety and Empowerment

• Weak Policing and Gender Insensitivity: Police often lack gender sensitisation, discouraging victims from filing complaints.
  Eg: A J-PAL study found that Madhya Pradesh’s Women Help Desks improved case reporting but did not change overall police attitudes toward gender issues.
• Judicial Delays and Low Conviction Rates: Slow trials and poor conviction rates erode public trust and embolden perpetrators.
  Eg: NCRB’s Crime in India 2023 report shows 91.2% of cases under “Insult to the Modesty of Women” remain pending, with only a 20.9% conviction rate.
• Inadequate Urban Infrastructure: Poorly lit roads, unsafe transport, and lack of women’s hostels increase vulnerability in public spaces.
• Limited Representation and Administrative Corruption: Local bodies often neglect gender-sensitive planning due to poor governance and corruption.
  

Societal Barriers Undermining Women’s Safety and Empowerment

• Patriarchal Mindset and Victim-Blaming: Cultural norms often hold women responsible for their safety instead of addressing systemic failures.
  Eg: The Madhya Pradesh minister’s remark “Inform us before going out” reflects a regressive attitude that restricts women’s autonomy.
• Fear of Social Stigma and Retaliation: Victims hesitate to report harassment due to fear of retribution or being shamed by society.
  Eg: Families often prefer to “suffer in silence” rather than lodge complaints, as the article notes.
• Gendered Socialisation and Restricted Mobility: Women are conditioned to limit their movement to avoid harassment, reinforcing exclusion from education and work.
• Weak Public Awareness and Civic Responsibility: Society tolerates harassment in public spaces, reflecting low civic consciousness and bystander apathy.

Way Forward

• Gender-Sensitive Policing and Judicial Reforms: Strengthen women’s help desks, fast-track courts, and training for police on gender sensitivity.
• Safe Urban Infrastructure: Invest in street lighting, CCTV surveillance, safe transport, and hostels for working women.
• Community and School-Based Gender Education: Promote awareness from early education to change patriarchal mindsets and encourage bystander intervention.
• Institutional Accountability: Ensure transparent governance in municipalities and panchayats for gender-inclusive urban planning.
• Legal and Policy Coherence: Strengthen implementation of laws like the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2013, and integrate women’s safety goals into Smart City and AMRUT missions.

Conclusion

India must move beyond rhetoric to make public spaces safe and inclusive. Institutional reforms and social change should enable women to move freely and work confidently, shifting from a “protection mindset” to an “empowerment framework.”

DOWNLOAD PDF