TIME : 5:30pm DATE: 11th FEBRUARY
VENUE: LAWN IN FRONT OF KASTURBA HALL
(GIRLS' HOSTEL NO. 4)
UNITE AND COME FORWARD TO
TACKLE THE MENACE OF GENDER DISCRIMINATION AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN OUR CAMPUS!
Panjab University is considered to be a center of excellence and learning. But when we talk of gender equality, its indiscriminate attitude towards its girl students comes to the fore in a very hideous manner. Girls on daily basis face gender violence and harassment. Eve-teasing is such a phenomenon which is rampant in the campus and goes on unchecked by the authorities. When we move out of our hostels for any work, we are being stared at, troubled with the cars following us as we walk around. Slangs such as ‘patakha,’ ‘phuljhadi,’ ‘tota,’ ‘item,’ ‘purja,’ that are used in our ‘admiration’ have such sexual connotations that makes our heads hang in shame. Even these ‘sincere’ boys, who spend their entire day in the library struggling to make their careers, ‘refresh’ themselves in the evening with a gedi of girls’ hostels. The position of the girls has been reduced to just being a sex object which is to be seen by lustful eyes and harassed at will. Anytime we come across such ugly situation, we are left in abyss wondering what to do. Not only this we come across many such incidents which we choose to ignore but which somehow contribute to the anti-woman environment in the campus. There is humiliating and sexist depiction of women in songs which are often used at DJ parties, freshers or other festivals. The jokes which are cracked in our peer groups or in our classrooms contain sexual content to which one has to submit even if one is uncomfortable with it, as questioning it is considered a symbol of “backwardness or narrow mindedness”. There have been cases of harassment even by the teachers that have come to everyone’s notice.
All this is not confined merely to the
university. It is a reflection of the same gender bias existing in our society
to which women have been subjected, of the patriarchy which systematically
operates to oppress women. In every sphere of life they face discrimination be
it the case of lower wages as compared to men, their unrecognized labor in the
agricultural fields, their sexual exploitation at the hands of the landlords or
contractors or employers. The women are treated as second grade citizens
who have much less rights at par with men. The cases of rapes, acid attacks,
dowry deaths, molestation have become so common. Not only this, the feudal
values with religion at its back provides the ideological basis to suppress
women.
As we see oppression is there, so is resistance.
People have always raised their voices against it at different periods of time leading
to revolutionary changes in the society. The history of sexual violence is not
new and so is the struggle against it. People’s struggles have led to
recognition of sexual harassment at work places and laws against it. One such
case was Vishakha vs. the State of Rajasthan which pushed the government to
pass guidelines against sexual harassment at workplaces. According to the Supreme Court “sexual
harassment includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour as: *Physical
contact *A demand or request for sexual favours *Sexually coloured remarks *Showing
pornography *Any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a
sexual nature, for example, leering, telling dirty jokes, making sexual remarks
about a person's body, etc.”
Many universities
have followed the guidelines and formed a democratic body named GSCASH to
prevent sexual harassment against its girl students. But there is no such body active
in our university which could address women’s grievances. The issue of sexual
harassment is not a trivial matter as persons subjected to sexual harassment
experience a wide range of physical and psychological ailments. There are
economic and social consequences for the victim's physical and mental well
being, and the institution's productivity, efficiency and work ethics. Let’s
join our hands together to create a platform, a democratic body to tackle the
menace of sexual harassment.
*COME FORWARD AND SPEAK OUT AGAINST THE GENDER
VIOLENCE OR ANY DISCRIMINATION!! *UPHOLD THE DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS OF WOMEN!! *STRUGGLE TO BUILD A DEMOCRATIC
ENVIRONMENT IN THE CAMPUS!!