Claiming night space: For a new code of freedom

In all likelihood, an LBD (Little Black Dress) could be a least familiar acronym even among the class of progressive women in Kerala. It is a misfit to the morality conscious Malayali psyche, not just because it hugs too close the female body. Here, women are still in the ‘shout-out’ phase to go out in the dark and return home safe.

The voice is again heard out loud in this brand New Year, which dawned upon us with another blot on the collective consciousness, of molesting women in the supposedly modern city of Bengaluru. Accentuating that safety of women is a broader term and joining the nation-wide #IWillGoOut campaign is this southern state, with a mass gathering of women held at Palayam in Thiruvananthapuram.
 Sthree Koottayma, a women’s collective, is behind the Kerala leg of the initiative that is being held simultaneously in 23 Indian cities.

“Ultimately, safety of women is not a closed circuit camera, martial arts training or Pink autos plying across the roads. After Sabarimala, women are denied participation for Agasthyarkoodam trekking. A good share of the government’s Sthree Sakthi lottery is set aside for training women in karate. It is like safety of woman is her own responsibility. Provided she takes care of herself, she is safe. Isn’t there any rule men need to abide by? This kind of isolating woman from the possible perils is not what we want,” says Aleyamma Vijayan, secretary of Sakhi and one of the organisers.

Since the past few days, the Sthree Sakthi Koottayma members have been rigorously campaigning in the city colleges to invite participants. The question mark on safety has again played spoilsport, with many girls refusing to walk to the venue, fearing the dark! Remember, this when the event was scheduled to start at 5.30 pm and finish early.

Mediaperson cum research scholar Aswani Dravid has got many a bitter experience on the streets even in broad day light. On coming to know about the event, she was only delighted to rush to the venue cutting short her preparation for a competitive examination.

“I am an outdoor person. If I feel like hitting the beach at night, I will. My best friend is there to accompany me and we take a ride to Shanghumugham or Kovalam, enjoy the sea breeze as long as we need, no matter we both are women. Holding placards and raising slogans at the top of our voice is not the way out. In my view, the future is bleak. The chauvinists, like never before, stand united to oppress the freedom of women. Unless feminists come together to overpower them, the situation won’t change,” observes Aswani.

Beyond assuring her participation, Rina Vivekanandan has done a perfect word-of-mouth campaign for the event. She is happy to say that her immediate relative and friends are joining her. “I am taking part in the event to express solidarity to the cause. It is not a fight or a battle, it’s a plea to let women live life on their own terms. I have not had a bitter experience but that does not mean problems do not exist at all. We need to support each other,” says the chairperson of CII Indian Women Network and CEO of MedTrina Knowledge Partner.