India’s Supreme Court just issued a groundbreaking decision about sexual harassment – including street harassment.

Acknowledging that sexual harassment is a rampant problem, especially on the streets and on public transportation, and one that negatively impacts the lives of the harassed persons, the Supreme Court decided to issue a country-wide standard for addressing the problem.

Noting that prosecuting harassers can be very difficult, especially when it happens between strangers on the street, they focused their attention on preventative measures.

From One India:

“A bench of Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra has directed ‘all the state governments and Union territories to depute plain-clothes female police officers in the precincts of bus stands, railway stations, metro stations, cinema theatres, shopping malls, parks, beaches, public service vehicles, places of worship, etc, so as to monitor and supervise incidents of eve-teasing.’…

Here are other rules handed down by the judges:

a) There will be a direction to the State governments and the Union Territories to install CCTV in strategic positions which itself would be a deterrent and if detected, the offender could be caught.

b) Persons in charge of educational institutions, places of worship, cinema theatres, railway stations and bus stands have to take steps they deem fit to prevent eve-teasing within their precincts and, on a complaint being made, they must pass on the information to the nearest police station, or Women’s Help Centre.

c) Where either passengers or persons in-charge of a public service vehicle indulge in eve-teasing, the crew shall, on a complaint made by the aggrieved person, take the vehicle to the nearest police station and give information to the police. Failure to do so should lead to cancellation of the permit to ply.

d) The State governments and Union Territories are directed to establish Women’s Helpline in various cities and towns, so as to curb eve-teasing within three months.

e) Suitable boards cautioning against eve-teasing should be exhibited in the precincts of educational institutions, bus stands, railway stations, cinema theatres, parties, beaches, public service vehicles, places of worship, etc.

f) Responsibility is also on passers-by who should report such incidents to the nearest police station or to the Women’s Helpline.

g) The State governments and the Union Territories should take effective measures by issuing suitable instructions to authorities including the District Collectors and the Superintendent of Police on effective and proper measures to curb eve-teasing.”

I think this is fantastic news. To have a Supreme Court in one of the most populated countries in the world acknowledge that sexual harassment – including street harassment – is a big problem that must stop and then issues several concrete strategies for addressing it is SO encouraging.

I do wonder, however, about the implementation: will the government provide funding and training and personnel to make their ideas happen?

This is an interesting approach to punishing and trying to prevent street harassment!

Via OneWorld South Asia:

“The Chief Minister of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh has announced that anyone indulged in eve-teasing will be denied passport, driving license and other government facilities.

Chauhan was demonstrating the state’s resolve to combat eve-teasing, an euphemism for sexual bullying or harassment on the streets directed at young women.

Eve teasing in a crime according to India’s criminal laws, but people are hesitant to take the matter to the police, especially due to the social repercussions and also the fact that bullies usually get away with the offence.

He added that a database of eve-teasers and those indulging in similar offences would be prepared and appropriate action would be taken against them.

“A toll free telephone number for registering complaints about eve-teasing and misbehaviour would also become operational soon,” the Chief Minister announced.

As of now, this announcement awaits implementation but first step will be setting up of a toll free number where women or girls can register their complaints.”

Thoughts?