A safer Bangladesh for women
It is hardly
a secret that women are often treated with disdain, neglect, or find themselves the victims of even more sexual harassment or abuse when trying to report gender crimes
We strongly support education ministers call to the law enforcement agencies to be more pro-active and tougher against the perpetrator of sexual harassment. The ministers statement is all the more important considering the sad fact that for too long the issue of sexual harassment has not been taken seriously enough. Reports from human rights and womens rights organisations show that women are often treated with disdain, neglect or find themselves the victims of even more sexual harassment or abuse when trying to report such crimes to the police. The harassed are not only the persecuted but also the pariah.
Divorced as well as single women are particularly vulnerable to sexual harassment. Of course, its no surprise that incidents of such harassment are hardly uncommon in workplaces as well. Women still regularly report being verbally harassed and even physically assaulted by their superiors. The man in question, however, in many cases untouched, undoubtedly displaying similarly harassing behaviour to new prey. This dismal scenario also provides a fillip to the religious obscurantists who hankers for a strictly gender segregated society and points out the harassment-filled workplace as a grim substantiation of their warnings. In the face of such behaviour many Bangladeshi women continue to find themselves alone, unsure of where to take their complaints and how to protect themselves.
Sexual harassment in our educational institutions throws light upon the plight of women in this largely patriarchal society. Women in this country may have been entering educational institutions in increasing numbers in recent years, but this by no means implies that their journey in these institutions is trouble-free in respect of harassment.
We believe that the scope of the law pertaining to sexual harassment should be expanded to include a number of other areas where women often suffer from misogynistic attitudes. Sexual harassment does not just mean an act of physical offence. It starts from any gesture, stares or remarks that make women feel insecure and uncomfortable - while rape, molestation, incest etcetera remain the most severe forms of sexual harassment. Combating the menace is no easy task. Often women dont want to discuss these issues. They prefer to suffer in silence.
The media can also be a powerful tool in changing attitudes that lead to sexual harassment. Combining awareness development with legislation is the logical way forward in beginning to change sexual attitudes and perceptions towards women in this country. The challenge lies in helping millions of men and women in Bangladesh identify appropriate behaviour and most importantly, ensuring that they play an active role in making the society safe for women.
