Hyderabad women feel unsafe as stalkers on prowl

Friday’s incident of two men filming a young woman in a trial room at a clothing store in Jubilee Hills has once again made women in the city feel unsafe around men, even during the daytime.

They fear harassment, molestation, being ogled at, touched inappropriately and even getting groped by men around them. Deccan Chronicle spoke to several women in the city regarding their experiences and found that molestation is so common that many live with it, feeling helpless and distraught that no action would be taken.

No place is safe for a woman to travel alone, and they always feel scared of men behaving inappropriately, according to many women we spoke to. “No place is safe for women, be it a bus, bus station, cab, restaurants, pubs, shopping malls, office premises or even home,” they said, adding that such incidents traumatised them for a long time.

Most of the women said that they were scared to complain to the police as they did not have proof of harassment, and that the police would start blaming them instead, and ask for proof.

DCP Anasuya, women and children safety wing, Cyberabad, said no such proof was required to file a complaint and these issues were addressed immediately. She added, “There are several WhatsApp numbers that are for the aid of women where issues are addressed in no time. Women can also dial 100 and within 10 minutes, an officer would be at their side to help. I would also suggest the women to carry pepper spray with them all the time.”

Not only teenagers, but women across various age groups prefer not to talk about this issue openly as they do not want others to know what they went through fearing their reputation getting tarnished.

“The underlying message is that the harassment cycle never stops, as the molesters tend to repeat the same,” said psychologist Rachel Nandi. “Not only girls but boys too are sexually harassed by men during their childhood which traumatise them and they tend to become predators later and repeat the same things that were done to them and the cycle never stops,” she said.

WhatsApp numbers for help

9490617444: Cyberabad

9490617111: Rachakonda

9490616555: Hyderabad

100: Police help line

What they said

Zarine Irani, 29, MNC employee

Exemplary punishment for such acts should be given publicly. We have men staring at us everywhere we go be it temples or pubs. I usually give them an ugly stare back after which they stop staring.

Amisha Mehta, 43, homemaker

Constant staring is always there wherever I go. I am followed by men while I am travelling. I always have to take a longer route so that those who follow me do not know where I live. I never travel alone, especially at night as I am scared of being harassed all the time.

Disha Trivedi, 55, homemaker

Wherever there is a crowd, men always try to touch us inappropriately. By the time we figure it out, they vanish. Men of all ages just wait for a situation where there is a crowd, and then touch as many women as they can. My friends too have experienced this.

RJ Manasa

Whether I wear a short skirt or any dress, I hear hooting from men which makes me uncomfortable. The constant staring has become so common that I have grown a thick skin, and feel unsafe and violated. I have thrown my bag at people trying to exploit me. No place is safe.

Meghavi, 28, MNC employee

The kind of horrible stares I get from men traumatised me for a long time. My friends who went through such experiences feel conscious about themselves for a lifetime. I think of not taking action as I am scared of the men being violent as most of them are stronger physically.

Prathyusha Pappu, 33, copywriter

I am stared at even when I wear the simplest of clothes. Men just stare at you and make you feel uncomfortable about your own body. They press their bodies on us in crowded areas, touch us and we are helpless to take action. This has happened even during broad daylight.

Aditi Shroff, 24, MNC employee

I have seen drunken men harass women outside pubs, and they are helpless about it. I try to take action but hesitate, thinking of the consequences that will follow. They blame us instead, and ask for proof of what we are saying. I just try to ignore it and bear with it.

Tanusha Bajaj, 24, content creator

We are always constantly judged or stared at. I call those staring at me and take out my phone. The men who try to misbehave get scared as they think I am taking their picture. It is not easy, but one needs to cope with fear and gain the upper hand.

Rachel Nandi, 29, psychologist

Girls at their younger ages and even boys who are below seven years old are getting molested, mostly by their own family members. I think parents need to be more aware as kids try to tell them in any way possible, either through actions or words. The girls who try speaking to their mothers are mostly asked to keep shut as the family's name would be ruined or they fear a bad reputation.