The setting always seems eerily similar. A nearly empty bus with enough seats to spare, you take the one you are most comfortable with. To me it is perhaps one of the simple joys in life, as I settle in for the long journey ahead, I like to get lost in my own thoughts. However, this is a joy that is rare due to the ever present pervert.
The perverts on the bus are always immediately identifiable. They come in all ages, shapes and sizes. While a common belief is it’s mostly dirty old men that harass women, even young men as well as women themselves sexually harass individuals in the bus.
The pervert scans the bus and while there are so many empty seats he decides to squeeze in right next to you. What follows is an uncomfortable bus ride with nudging, edging closer and their legs spread wide open. At its worst, one is touched, groped, pinched, squeezed, prod and poked till you are reduced to tears. Some even go so far as to flash their private parts at you.
The Police spokesperson urged the victims to call the Police emergency hotline immediately on 119. “They can call this number with the details such as the bus route and bus number and inform them of the incident,” he said adding that the Police will take immediate action. He also emphasized that women should make note of the person who harassed her such as physical characteristics.
Likewise hardly any woman asked had thought to complain to the Police. While some did not want to make a scene for something ‘small’ as being made uncomfortable, others did not feel that it was of any use.
According to SSP Ajith Rohana women should be aware that sexual harassment was made a criminal offence in Sri Lanka in 1995. Section 345 of the Penal Code criminalizes sexual harassment and the offence carries a punishment of up to five years imprisonment if found guilty. “Therefore even if a person is making you feel extremely uncomfortable in a sexual nature you can report it,” he clarifies.
Women generally take different approaches to dealing with these perverse individuals. While some suffer in silence with great difficulty, others resort to giving up their seat and moving. Rarely one would lash out and batter him with an umbrella or a hand bag. Shockingly, hardly anyone speaks up or rises to defend her.
Today using public transport for women can be a nightmare. For whatever reason it may be, the problem is more persistent in buses than any other form of public transport. There is never a moment of peace as one is always required to be on guard and vigilant. What should be a peaceful journey home or to work is now instead stressful and causes much anxiety.
“What was most shocking to me was being harassed by a woman,” says 21-year-old Kalpana recounting her worst experience in a bus. According to her while being harassed by men is accepted as a norm she was truly shocked that this time the culprit was a woman. “She was almost on me despite the bus not being crowded and kept touching my hand many times,” she says adding that though it doesn’t sound serious, to her it was a very disturbing incident. “Once would expect at least women to refrain from such acts,” she says feeling quite disappointed.
To Maneka the worst experience was when a man scolded her for not responding to his lewd suggestions. “I kept looking away pretending not to hear him,” she said adding that this frustrated the pervert who then got down from the bus abusing her in quite colorful language.
“Another day I was groped by a man who was seated behind me, and as I looked back he pretended to sleep,” Maneka says she was quite shocked at his audacity as it happened twice in a matter of minutes, “I just moved to a different seat as I didn’t want to make a scene.” However she does admit she burst into tears as she got home. “I could not bear the thought that some stranger had touched me and violated my personal space” she says adding that however, now she has got used to accepting that this was a norm.
According to the Police Spokesperson SSP Ajith Rohana the Police will act promptly if women who were harassed in fact complain to them. However, SSP Rohana noted that there is a reluctance of women to file a complaint to the Police about such incidents.
“There are certain areas in a bus women are more protected such as the extreme front or back,” SSP Rohana added, saying that if there is a choice women should pick such seats.
If women choose not to complain to the Police, clearly they cannot afford to complain among each other about being harassed. As by not reporting these individuals, we continue to enforce their behavior and let them off despite their lewd acts.
Therefore the next time a pervert sexually harasses you, do speak up and take a stand. And no matter what you think it is not a norm so never accept this abuse in silence as no one has any right to sexually harass you and get away with it whether on the bus, train, street and even at home.
No comments:
Post a Comment