The Hindu : National : Working women feel unsafe, especially on night shift: survey

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Working women feel unsafe, especially on night shift: survey

Sujay Mehdudia

Women in BPOs, ITeS most vulnerable to attacks after duty hours

Delhi tops list with 65% complaining that they feel insecure
Lack of transport arrangement causes hardship

NEW DELHI: Nearly 53 per cent of working women feel insecure, especially during night shifts in all major hubs of economic activity across the country, particularly in the key sectors of BPO/ITeS, hospitality, civil aviation, nursing homes and garment. They call upon their establishments to evolve safety norms, according to the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry Social Development Foundation (ASDF).

The assessment, based on feedback from the stakeholders, reveals that 48 per cent of the women working with small-scale firms are extremely worried about their outside movements. Nearly 26 per cent of such workforce in the medium sector is quite apprehensive of safety and security, particularly after dark. The same fear of security lapses is felt by about 23 per cent of women in large-scale establishments.

Releasing the assessment here on Thursday, the Assocham said women in BPOs and ITeS were the most vulnerable and prone to both physical and non-physical attacks, especially after duty hours. In nursing homes including hospitals, 53 per cent of women employees continue to feel insecure. This percentage in leather and garment industries is 45 and 34.

As for safety at work, women on night shift feel insecure. As much as 86 per cent face commuting problems for lack of adequate transport arrangement. Those working in Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune face the maximum commuting problem and those in Delhi, Hyderabad and Ludhiana, the least.

In Bangalore, around 56 per cent of the respondents, in a survey conducted among women working in night shifts in the IT, aviation, hospital and BPO sectors, said they felt unsafe.

Delhi topped the list with 65 per cent of the respondents complaining that they felt unsafe. Thirty-five per cent of women in Hyderabad, 28 per cent in Chennai, 26 per cent in Mumbai reported feeling unsafe while on night shift.

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