O sexual harassment it can take many different forms, including verbal harassment, unwanted physical contact, stalking and sexual violence. To combat this type of harassment, women use whatever they have at hand, but Indians seem to have put a new spin on safety pins. Know more!
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Many use umbrellas, keep their fingernails long and pointed to scratch "silly hands", use thin heel of shoes to target men who take advantage of the crowd and among many others objects.
Now, one item in particular stands out for its efficiency: women are using safety pins. Pins are small objects used to hold fabric and other materials together during the sewing process.
They consist of a metal rod with a pointed end and a head, which can be of various shapes and colors. Invented in 1849, they can also be used to fight back against your attackers.
Deepika Shergill wrote about an incident in which she used the object. She told the BBC it happened on a bus she always took to go to the office.
The episode took place a long time ago, but she still remembers the smallest details. Shergill was 20 years old and the abuser was in his 40s.
“He would always come and stay close to me,” she says. “He would lean over, rub his crotch on my back and fall on top of me whenever the driver braked.”
However, one night, when "he started masturbating and ejaculated on my shoulder", she decided enough was enough.
The next day, Shergill traded her flat sandals for high heels and boarded the bus armed with a safety pin.
“As soon as he arrived and stood next to me, I got up from my seat and crushed his toes with my heels. I heard him panting and I was so happy,” she says. “So I used the safety pin to pierce his forearm and quickly got off the bus.”
It is important to say that we do not encourage violent reactions that could expose your safety. Remember to always seek help in situations of harassment and protect your physical integrity.
Sexual harassment
Through an online survey across 140 Indian cities in 2021, 56% of women reported experiencing sexual abuse on public transport, but only 2% went to the police.
More than 52% of the women interviewed said that they have given up on education and employment opportunities due to “feeling insecure”.
Kalpana Viswanath, one of the founders of the social organization Safetipin, which works to make public spaces safe and inclusive for women, said fear of sexual violence affects mobility and the psychological side of women. women.
“Women begin to impose restrictions on themselves, which prevents them from having equal citizenship with men,” she explains.
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