Aqib Ul Ahad Wani
It is becoming increasingly difficult for women particularly college going girls to travel through public transport as the fear of someone trying to touch or rub himself against their body always exists. Women face it almost every day. But nobody dares to speak. The overcrowded buses are becoming a safe haven for predators to harass women. Every woman, travelling in buses, has a story to narrate. Women both young and old have been suffering silently due to the menace of ‘Toucherism’, wherein a person derives sexual pleasure from touching or rubbing or even pushing another person preferably from opposite gender.The women commuters in Kashmir, especially college, school going girls, continue to face sexual harassment in public buses. The overcrowded buses are becoming haven and hub for predators to harass the girls by touching them inappropriately, and girls, who find it a taboo to talk to their family members or register cases in police station against the predators, are silently becoming victims of harassment every day. It is becoming increasingly difficult for women particularly school, college going girls to travel through public transport as the fear of someone trying to do indecent act. Women face it almost every day, but nobody dares to speak. The overcrowded buses are becoming a safe haven for predators to harass women.
While talking with one of the female student who prefer not to disclose her name narrated me a story about torture faced by her. “That Today, she was waiting for a sumo at a stop where she usually board a sumo. After a few minutes, a sumo stopped and i get into it. I got the middle seat which was already occupied by two boys(who were in school uniform). After travelling for sometime the driver reached next stop and stopped and more people boarded the vehicle.
The women commuters in Kashmir, especially college, school going girls, continue to face sexual harassment in public buses.
A man(in mid 30’s) opened the door of the middle seat but I refused him getting inside as there was no space for the 4th person (as I am a little bulky), but the driver argued and said “there is space for four passengers on middle seat & if you do not allow fourth passenger to sit then you have to pay double fare” and the other passengers too said “these things need to be adjusted in day to day life”. I decided to get off but I thought I will be late for the classes (and it was also the peak time for schools/colleges, so I won’t get a vehicle easily), so I adjusted. I let the man inside and myself get the to the window side. After some time I noticed the man started touching me (with his elbow) and was moving his arm to touch me. I cannot get in detail what was he trying to do and after few attempts I told him to move his arm and he replied “hay madam yi nasa chi private gaid yeti kus jai chi” and after sometime he moved even closer to me now his thighs were as close to mine as bone and flesh and every time I protested he complained about the little space. What was shocking was the reaction of the people in that sumo. For everyone it was normal but I could feel the way the man was moving and getting closer was very inappropriate. Is it okay? If I am getting harassed (sexually) on a daily basis, is it okay and if i am raising my voice, I am told “Try to Adjust”, this is not private vehicle “and so on. I don’t say all men are same. No…but why should someone invade my personal space. If there is place for just 3 why will i let someone sit in my lap. Unfortunately, the victim has not got the number of the vehicle but if anyone among you (the sisters reading this) come across the same don’t forget to note down the number of the vehicle and if u can manage to get a photograph of the person who harass you and send it to TPWC. We assure you full confidentiality and assure the arrest of the person very soon.
( The author a student at law college Srinagar is presently associated with “Kashmir Horizon”. Views are his own, [email protected])
