Curbing Women’s Harassment – Pune’s Men Speak

 

Reported cases of sexual harassment and eve-teasing have hit at an all time high in 2017. With women admitting to facing harassment city-wide, we decided to get to the root of the issue and ask men for a change on what it takes to curb this menace.

Pune men share their thoughts on what they deem the best way to purge the city from this deep rooted evil that is taking the country by storm. Here is a set of the diverse views that came out of our meetings:

Sakreet Agarwal (26), Entrepreneur

I think as guys we never realize how it is to walk around as a woman. We need role-playing sessions in high-school and college to help us better understand what girls go through.

Right from attempting to wear sarees, to carrying a cushion around to mimic pregnancy, men need to feel what it is like. Everything short of nursing a suckling baby will teach us to be more sensitive to the fairer sex. This is coming from a guy who has five sisters, so I’m pretty much house broken.

Vikram Doshi (24), Freelance Artist

I think by the time we graduate, it’s too late to tackle the issue. It needs to be addressed at a school level. Replace value education, moral education and work experience lessons with sex education and women’s rights classes solely for boys.

While you may deem this a tad extreme, drilling it in from an early age is the only way to ensure equality and a healthy respect for women. This shall ensure no random acts of public harassment happen.

Vishram Mane (34), Dog Trainer

We have discussed this topic at length last month at our area’s ‘Mitra Mandal’. It was partly to ensure safety for women during Ganpati celebrations. Some of my friends argued that castration is the best remedy for paedophiles. But I think the punishment should be that no matter the age of the victim. Moreover, gang rape is a major concern.

If a solo male commits a crime, it is unacceptable, but understandable. But how does the presence of other men empower them all to rape together? It just shows that men in crowds get rowdy and worse bringing out their worst inner demon.

We need psychologists to analyze this pattern and treat society at large.

Vitthal Deo (48), Electrical Engineer

Today’s girls need to respect the society. Dignity and grace should be her crowning jewels. If she doesn’t flaunt it, then men will not want it. They should open a school where they teach women to dress appropriately. Everything from top to toe should be covered in a dignified manner when on the streets.

Dress any way you want in the confines of your own house!

Aniket Shinde (19), Student

Call me biased, but I don’t think the problem exists from women. I mean neither me nor my friends have ever been on the receiving end of a vulgar comment or any unwanted attention from a girl. Yet, males often cause these issues for women. So, I think it’s best if ‘Saat cha aat gharat’ rule applied to men.

It is quite preposterous for it to apply to girls when they become the victims.

Just make it mandatory for men to stay indoors post 7 pm and you shall have a relatively crime free society!

 

 

 

#All views expressed in this column are of the individual respondents and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.