The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Tiruchi News : Don't put up with harassment, women told

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 24, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Don't put up with harassment, women told

By Our Staff Reporter

TIRUCHI, OCT. 23 . Women were advised not to put up with harassment and approach the law- enforcing machinery without any fear to get their grievances redressed at a programme called `crime against women,' organised by Srimathi Indira Gandhi College here recently.

Police officials informed the students of their responsibility in exercising their rights and urged them to create an awareness of the same among the public especially illiterate men and women.

The rationale behind the conduct of `teenager sensitisation programme' in colleges on a monthly basis was explained at the meeting.

The Commissioner of Police, T.P. Sundaramoorthy, said that the recent trend of women approaching police stations with their complaints was a good augury. Tamil Nadu was in the forefront in preventing crime against women.

There were 195 all women police stations, 100 women Deputy Superintendents of Police and a special women commando force in Tamil Nadu. The strength of women police comprised over 10,000 personnel, he said.

The city police attached more attention to cases regarding harassment of women, and noted that the State Government, with the intention of removing the term `Eve-teasers' from the lexicon replaced it with women harassers. Interacting with students, he assured to look into their requests for better traffic regulation at the Chathiram Bus Stand area, allotment of separate seats for women in city buses, and curtail playing of `obscene' songs in buses.

Earlier, he inaugurated the `Complaint box' installed adjacent to the roadside park of the college, and distributed handbills containing the list of crimes for which the services of Helpline - 1091 free dialling - could be availed, to the passersby.

He assured that grievances posted at the complaint box would be addressed on a priority basis.

The Principal, K. Meena, asked the students not to get swayed by projections in cinema. Sensitisation programmes in boys' colleges was essential. While teenaged boys should be sensitised to the consequences of harassment with a `playful intent,' girls also had a responsibility of avoiding unpleasant situations.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, N. Arivuchelvam, said that education of women was vital to ensure enforcement of law while the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Fort, said that incidents of women harassment had been brought down.

The Inspector of Cantonment All Women Police Station, Anarkali Begum, said that the girl students at the college level should be assertive to remove any scope for dowry harassment.

The Inspector of Fort All Women Police Station, Valarmathi, spoke.

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