Street harassment is a strategy to scare women away from the public space
so they do not work or go to school, earn their own money, go into politics,
make decisions, claim property and take power.
Decades of women-focused victim-blaming approach did
NOT result in a decrease of harassement, rape, murder and other gender-based
violence. To the contrary, according to the National Crime Records Bureau numbers
are increasing. More women might report more crimes. But clearly they do not
feel more safe.
Time to change strategy!
The plan is to take over the National Capital Region and declare more and more women friendly zones.
Newly claimed territory, the progress and development will be closely monitored.
Everyone can declare a women-friendly zone!
Everyone can be part of the movement and report how it goes and for how long it lasts on the facebook page or send their report and pictures to safeurbanspace@gmail.com
As response to
the failure to create a safe environment for women in public spaces the Safe
Urban Space Committee decided to create women-friendly zones in the NCR.
In the style of
the women-only compartment in the metro, these zones should create a safe haven
for women. But opposed to the women-only zones, the women-friendly zones will
still allow men in the public places. Sex segregation is obviously a step
backward not forward and does not contribute to the elimination of harassment
in the long-term. Segregation is a drastic measure, which can only be seen as a
temporary method, because other strategies by the authorities proved to be
unsuccessful.
The permanent
feeling of insecurity makes women follow unwritten rules to go out in public.
They are always
careful, they are made to think about what to wear (although not at all
relevant as a strategy to avoid harassment), avoid going out alone, go in
groups or with trustworthy male friend, avoid being out in the dark, avoid
certain routes, avoid to generate attention, change their body language and
attitude.
For all these
efforts women are neither rewarded by feeling safe, not are these restrains
publicly acknowledged.
It is time for
a new approach to address street harassment.
The focus needs
to shift towards the perpetrators.
As women´s
behavior has no impact on their safety, it is time to demand change in men´s
behavior.
The women friendly
zones do allow men to enter, but in order to secure and to enforce a street
harassment – free environment; these (half-seriously meant) opposite rules of what women follow in order
to be safe, apply:
- ·
Men are not allowed to come in groups
- ·
Men have to be escorted by a woman
- ·
Men are not allowed to
speak to unknown women, only to the woman escorting them
- ·
No cameras, no mobile phones
- ·
If men are unsure if they are still creating an atmosphere of
harassment, they have to option to be blindfolded
- There is a total ban for men from 7.30pm to 7.30am