Starting 1st January 2017 , Bengaluru has been facing a major challenge on the issue of women’s safety. The new year eve molestation of a young girl in the city has triggered series of such attacks on women in the Bengaluru.
Not only young women, even toddlers have been subjected to indecent and uncivil incidents which shocked the conscience of the city . The news reports of sexual assaults on young students of a Playschool made the city sit up and worry about the situation . Shocked parents , concerned citizens and the city youth protested the casual attitude of the Playschool management.

The incident which came just a day after South Bengaluru was recovering from the harrowing incidents of molestation of young women by biker gangs . The CCTV footages which the residents in south Bengaluru chose to share with media reflected the losing faith in the government machinery especially the police.

The city police has been at the wits’ end to ensure that the patrolling at street levels is intensified . Bengalurians are clearly angry and upset. The social media has been full with angry responses of citizens.

The Bengaluru Police maintains that the situation is under control and says most of the cases reported have seen police action and the arrest of the guilty. The fact remains that a large majority of the cases of eve-teasing and molestation cases in the city don’t get reported at all.

Eve-teasing is a phenomenon which is very recent to the city, and is being seen as a side-effect of the rapid growth that the city has seen due to the IT revolution. Nagalaxmi Bai, Chairperson of the State’s women’s commission feels a bigger awareness is the need. Speaking to Policy Pulse she said, ”If we see the pattern of attacks , its mostly the girls who stay alone in hostels and PG accommodations that get targeted . They need to be more careful, while going to work and coming back. The companies which hire them have to ensure safe pick-up and drop facility”

No wonder when Bengaluru saw a Mega Self Defence workshop arranged for the women in the city ,nearly 5000 women turned up. Social Activist and Chikkaballapur MLA Dr Sudhakar organized the workshop , hoping that the women in the city will become stronger in tackling the tough situations that they face. Speaking to Policy Pulse , Sudhakar said ,” The challenge for the women is that they are first responders in a crisis. Only if they are mentally strong and physically bold can they protect themselves . Its important that they learn self defence techniques”

Keeping the word in mind , Sudhakar and other friends arranged a two day self defence workshop and flew in the Olympian wrestlers ,Phogat sisters Geeta and Babita to inspire the women. Champion Wrestlers and Olympian Babita Kumari addressing the Bengaluru women said, “For me and my sister it was a routine from childhood to fight against eve-teasers. Today I am glad that so many women in Bengaluru have taken up the opportunity to get the basic self defence training”.

The positive response to the workshop certainly built hope in the women. Fatima Khanum , an IT professional who attended the workshop seemed enthused. Speaking to Policy Pulse , Fatima said “Meeting the over 5000 women together was a motivation enough, if we women learn to help each other at Public places instead of being mute spectators is enough to teach a lesson to eve-teasers”

While protests and candle light vigils marked the molestation incidents , Sudhakar said , he opted for facilitating the training of self defence instead of mere protests .

Dr Sudhakar said, “Babita and Geeta are the Real Stars for women present here. They reflect the determination of Rural Underprivileged women. They have shown that it is possible to fight crime against women , By rising to this level , every woman can protect herself with support”. To take his mission forward Sudhakar is planning to set up an academy for teaching self defence and wrestling techniques for women to safeguard themselves.

But are these steps enough ? The question remains that in most of the cases of molestation and eve-teasing the intimidation of the complainant by the legal process itself is so strong that most complainants back out. Even in the new year eve cases , the complainant woman backed out after filing an FIR initially as the process of Identification Parade and further cross examination etc was too embarrassing and challenging for the complainants.

So while Bengaluru faces the challenges of eve-teasing and attacks on women the city the innovative Bengalurians may have to rely on several such innovative ideas to ensure a safer Bengaluru