There are beasts out there!

The two recent incidents of brutality against young girls (one a 2-year -old!) in Gurgaon have not only shocked the residents but also raised serious concerns about the safety of any girl or woman here. Just a few weeks ago an elderly woman had been raped and murdered in her house. The girls in this instant were raped and dumped, and the elder one was even murdered. In a city where thousands of women work in corporate offices, IT companies and call centres 24x7, these gruesome incidents send stark and chilling reminders that, ‘outside’ of the homes and offices (hopefully), not much is right in the Millennium City. We should not be fooled by the fact that the victims were ‘not one of us’. While the Gurgaon Police has constituted a Special Investigative Team, and even announced a major reward for information on the criminals, that is little solace for the survivors. If we do not want to see more and worse crime against women and children, we first need to accept that these two incidents are no longer aberrations. Of course women daily face many problems, and often have to face these silently. They often feel a sense of déjà vu any time something ‘exceptional’ is picked up by the media. However, these 2 incidents, which were also violent, seem to point to a heightened degeneration of society. In this migrants infested city, the psyche of some residents is fast changing. They have too soon seen it all, think they know it all, and then believe that they can do it all!

In Gurgaon, the feeling of unease in public spaces, including parks, always seems just surface deep. Veena Gupta, an activist, says that the primary problem is the lack of awareness and education among the people – they are hesitant to approach the police and do not know how the system functions. “There are many poor children and women who get harassed on the roads, during work and in their homes, but they are too scared to call the police. Even affluent and well-to-do people prefer to keep silent on these issues,” she adds. Many teenagers, even from educated and affluent families, do not report these incidents because they fear that their ‘freedom’ would be curtailed. This needs to change. Most of the villains can, and should, be identified early. Prevention is a far more potent weapon than cure. Further, an inherent ‘acceptance’ that harassment, eve-teasing and molestation is a ‘given’ if a woman goes out of home to work, needs to be completely rejected – by the accused camps and, more importantly, by society. Deeptilal Patra, who works in the Communications industry and traverses both Delhi and Gurgaon, says that it easier to travel in Delhi in the evenings, and to negotiate with the auto drivers, but in Gurgaon she finds it difficult to move around after 8pm. “Handling the auto drivers in Gurgaon, who often are half drivers and half miscreants, is itself a challenge – apart from trying to manage the maze that is Gurgaon,” she says. She adds while problems exist in both the cities, Gurgaon is worse because of the lack of adequate infrastructure, and a large floating population - with countless, nameless faces who seem to vanish as easily as they surface. And then return later to this wine, women and song El Dorado, especially on weekends, with friends. 

An interesting point made by Veena Gupta is that the safety also depends on the ‘built environment’, and how accessible it is to women. There is also a difference on how a woman faces discrimination and harassment, depending on where she lives and works, and her social status. For women who travel by bus and shared autos, the quantum and type of harassment is very different from that faced by women in crowded malls; likewise, the challenges for someone living in an urban village like Nathupur or Dundahera are different from a person residing in a gated township. The problem is accentuated by the fact that women are also expected to ‘legitimise’ their use of public spaces, says Patra. It is ‘ok’ for them to be on the street when they go to a neighbourhood shop or to see off their kid to school, but if they are seen on the same street at night, they are ‘fair game’. Gupta, who has been closely working with the Gurgaon Police, adds that (unfortunately) women need to always remain conscious of the time, space and mindset of the society they are in at a particular time. “Women need to be extra cautious, especially here. They should not take anyone at face value, and be very alert,” she says. Patra admits that there is fear among the women, as anyone could be targeted by the rogues. Palak, a regular commuter, says that waiting for a bus or a cab at IFFCO Chowk can be frustrating and irritating – and not just because of the delays. Many car drivers stop and offer a lift, as also a sly smile or a leer. She has never accepted; she uses public transport, which she finds comparatively safer. Many have not been so alert and level headed, and paid the price.

Another issue is that, in our society, women are expected to be responsible for their own safety, and once an incident happens the ‘blame’ is put squarely on them. As a result most of them rarely move about in public spaces on their own. It is rare to see even a group of women enjoying their time in a park or spending time in a public space without the men or their families; it is a definite no-no after dark. What a change in just a decade! Political activist Padmini Singh feels that a lack of basic infrastructure as well as an inadequate police force has led to this lawlessness in the City. “The rules and regulations should be implemented in letter and spirit, and criminals should be brought to book and punished as early as possible,” she asserts, adding that there should be very strong deterrence. Experts opine that there needs to be a change in the built design and infrastructure of the City, to ensure the safety of all who use the roads, streets, open spaces and public areas. In their opinion, deserted and lonely stretches are more likely to witness crimes, as compared to public areas that are used at all times by both men women. It is important that the parks are well lit, the inner colony streets have lights, and there are guards or a police patrol nearby. The streets in Gurgaon should also be made less insular. Patra says that what makes Delhi safer is the presence of ‘familiar’ vendors, shopkeepers or even a dhobi on the street with whom the people have a familiarity or regular contact. Lighting, particularly on the roads, is quite inadequate in Gurgaon, and most of the streets and even major roads look blacked out and deserted late at night. That makes it quite a hazard for someone, particularly a woman, to move through these areas at that time. Ritu, who lives near Sikanderpur, prefers to reach home before dark, as Gurgaon is also notorious for drunken drivers speeding down some roads and being obnoxious (despite extensive police checks). ‘Public drinking’ is ‘on’ at various ‘outlets’ till late. The lack of streetlights in Udyog Vihar, says Anjubala, is the reason that she waits for her husband to finish his work in a nearby factory before they leave together for their rented room in Dundahera. Also, most of the women prefer to move in groups, as police presence is negligible. In Udyog Vihar there are no bus stops and the shared autos are packed tight, making it ‘easier’ for women to be harassed and touched. The lack of public conveniences in Gurgaon also makes it difficult for women to use the public spaces, parks and markets. However, an even more serious issue is how we so differently treat a crime that does not happen to ‘one of us’. There is a huge public outcry when a crime is committed against an IT employee, but if a factory worker or a maid is targeted, the reaction in the media and in society is far different and low key, says an activist. In her opinion the concern for women’s safety is quite class-based, as there is a large section - including nurses, security guards and domestic helps - whose security is neglected both by the State and civil society. Women from the weaker sections, mostly migrants, are becoming increasingly vulnerable, as also those working in factories in Udyog Vihar(s). Even those working in upscale colonies as maids are not safe. In many cases, young girls belonging to families of industrial workers have left school because transport is either unavailable or is unsafe. Even girls from good families in Gurgaon villages leave school because their parents are afraid that there could be security problems, says Singh.

Gupta says that the police in Gurgaon are responsive, and all residents must approach them whenever they face a problem. “I have told people about the 1091 Women Helpline, which has been of great help. I tell them to lodge a complaint and ask for help,” she says. “While the police here, being short in number, may not be as visible as we would like, asking them for help or lodging a complaint would elicit a good response,” she adds. Women in Gurgaon say that the lack of safety of women has prevented them from exploring ‘life’ in the City and from participating in even mundane activities like taking a stroll in a new area. Sexual harassment is rampant, even if it is not always blatant. It seems that the Millennium City tag is becoming quite a drag.

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