Imama Islam is a senior journalist working for a national daily. She writes special stories and covers events concerning sensitive issues including human rights violations, violence against women, as well as religious extremism like a true Braveheart.
Every day, she checks Messenger and finds messages from random unknown people who not only threaten her for her writings in the newspaper and her choice of outfits but in general for being educated, self-dependent, and outspoken as a whole. Her video posts on critical news analyses also draw indecent comments.
These things do not bother her too much now-a-days as she has been familiar with this menace since her childhood, back when she used to study in a reputed Dhaka school. She has also survived numerous incidences of sexual harassment in public places.
Moreover, she knows she is a woman surviving in a country where rape, sexual assault, and molestation of even female children are commonplace and that such incidents are rising fast nowadays due to various reasons.
She recently decided to react instantly by scaring or even physically defending herself from the sex offenders making inappropriate gestures, sounds, or remarks and definitely for touching her inappropriately in public. Mainly because the legal proceedings for such actions usually take a long time.
She also shared her plan on Facebook and found many men and women supporting her. But the majority of the men in Bangladesh would not agree with her ways and label her as an antagonist or even a “bad girl” against whom any punishment is justified, and would suggest a “fairer process” in raising her voice against the “mighty men.”
Haters on the prowl
Researchers say the crimes against women in both urban and rural areas have been increasing in parallel with a larger participation of girls in education and the job market.
Women's presence outside the home, their increasing empowerment, and their strive for more freedom also irk many men.
Moreover, women resisting violence and harassment, informing the parents and well-wishers of the perpetrators of such incidents, and the recent trend of posting about them on social media alongside the rising rate of divorce by women also anger these men.
As retaliation, these men spread negative campaigns on various social media platforms and slander women in general, and “feminists” in particular, by citing news reports and personal anecdotes. Such abuse of freedom of expression on social media is behind the rise of cyber crimes against women.
This type of “man” presents excuses to justify even the most inhumane acts against women, even when a minor school girl is raped or murdered for refusing to accept romantic proposals.
In these embarrassing circumstances, the half-liberal men suffer from a dilemma.
They cannot accept such violence against women in public, at least in the cities, but also think that if the educated and privileged women start becoming bold and react instantly and physically harm the alleged offenders even as an act of defense, they may not get justice in the court or will fail to draw public sympathy for committing another offence; hence, such examples should not be promoted.
Rather, they suggest long-term solutions like spreading awareness campaigns regarding sexual offences and ensuring the enforcement of related laws to reduce the number of sexual harassment against women in public.
So, the women should just wait for an effective solution to be produced by the men, or the time when such offenses will stop dramatically, they hope.
Grim scenario and resistance
Imama says she knows such acts are punishable under several laws concerning the protection of women from sexual aggression. Yet, due to the lack of awareness among the men against indecent behaviour and the reluctance of the police in enforcing these laws properly, the number of sex offenders is increasing at breakneck speed.
The police's dilly-dallying in arresting sex offenders, showing lack of cooperation when a victim wants to file a case, and submitting charge sheets in a way that goes against the justice seekers are the other issues responsible for the worsening situation, she said.
Rights activists, legal experts, NGOs, and even the police have expressed concern over the rise in sex crimes, including masturbation and verbal abuse in public alongside cyber crimes, nonconsensual pornography, and domestic violence against women.
Such acts are tools that the patriarchal and aggressive men use to “suppress and discipline bad women and girls,” said Imama.
There have been many instances in recent times when CNG auto-rickshawalahs and ride-sharing drivers were caught red-handed for masturbating in public, touching women inappropriately on public transport or shopping malls or while at work, and tearing off clothes with small cutters on a public bus. The gang rape of women on public buses at night and even in their homes have also been rampant.
Moreover, the rise in moral policing against teenagers and young women for their attire and “behaviour” in public places and on social media has created much hype across the country.
Over the past two decades, many young girls and working women like Imama now dare to resist sexual harassment in public themselves. Meanwhile, as a defense, many parents are now taking their children, mostly girls, to martial arts and taekwondo classes while also inspiring them to engage in outdoor sports since these activities increase physical well-being and confidence.
On the other hand, some parents believe that maintaining a religious attire to properly cover a girl's body and limiting her movement may save her from the evil eyes of sex offenders.
However, according to news reports, many conservative Muslim girls and women, and even children -- both male and female -- are subjected to sexual assault at home, in educational institutions, on the streets, and on public transport despite maintaining a veil.
While incidences of resistance by a few brave women are much lower than the reported occurrences, many women resort to the ultimate act of self-termination in Bangladesh every year due to the sheer public humiliation that follows, not to mention being reprimanded by their own parents and neighbours, and for being denied justice by their own legal system.
Hence, suggesting long-term solutions will only inspire offenders and make our daughters, sisters, and mothers more vulnerable to repeated sexual assaults as well as discrimination in our society.
As human beings, women have full rights to explore their days and nights under the roof and the open sky of this universe, to breathe fearlessly, and to feel safe regardless of the presence and absence of perpetrators around them.
Probir Kumar Sarker is News Editor, Dhaka Tribune.
