Mala Saini is an assistant teacher of an educational institute, run by a reputed Delhi based private organisation. Though she does not like to visit the secretary’s office, she is compelled to do so just to save her job. The secretary likes to talk to the young lady teacher on unimportant topics. Mala receives calls on her mobile, even at midnight from her boss regarding trivial issues, which do not match to her job-profile at all. Being restless, she’s now looking for a new job.

Zaheera is a maid servant by profession. Everyday, she commutes a long distance from Mayur Vihar to Vasant Kunj in Delhi. She has no other option but to commute in blue line buses. Each day, she faces sexual harassment in the over crowded ’blue-lines’ as she has to travel during peak hours.

The cases of Mala, Zaheera and Sunita are just mere instances of the ongoing sexual harassment in the Indian capital. Needless to say that the number of such incidents are gradually increasing. It does not matter whether she is 20 or 30-year old; whenever there is a female moving alone in Delhi, she would face harassment, even in broad daylight. Leaving apart the cases of rapes, molestation and eve-teasing, which are piled up across various police stations in Delhi, the staggering rise in corporate harassment cases in Delhi and National Capital Region (NCR) is remarkable. In most cases, women prefer to keep silent rather than become vocal hawks. They try to keep silent up to a certain limit, but when things cross the limit of tolerance, either they either resign or become victims.

Why don’t they file complaints to the police? “Police asks for proof, which is not possible,” said Nisha, a renowned call centre employee. “After all, it’s not possible for us to have a spy camera to record everything,” she added.

When asked about any such complaints being filed regarding the issue of harassment, a duty officer in Udyog Vihar Police Station, Gurgaon, said, “We know about this, but we can’t do anything until we have received a written complaint. It is a dangerous crime as it can’t be seen publicly. We need the cooperation of media to nab those who commit such acts.” The same reply has been received from various police stations in Delhi.

This is a grim fact. The existing laws are ineffectual, or so it seems. The police wants valid proof, which might not be possible to provide. It is obvious that the Delhi police always tries its level best in prohibiting heinous crimes like eve-teasing, molestation and rape; but they have failed to check crime against women.

Since times immemorial, girls have been victimised in the male-dominated society. In Western countries, women have acquired equal status in every aspect of life. In India, it is really praiseworthy to see that women have shown themselves to be equally capable in various fields as their male counterparts. The President of India is a woman, two of the states are led by female chief ministers, but the shadow of difference hangs over such achievements. Though this shadow looks insignificant, but its impact is insidious and prolonged. Despite being harassed or even molested, women prefer to remain silent. Why is that so? S Bhatia, an eminent professor of Social Studies says, “It is because they are afraid of the conventional social system. If a woman complains against such a matter, the media will make the same a big issue. The victim would feature in all TV channels and her problems would be discussed aloud, which would only add to her woes.”

From whom the women suffer most? Manisha, another call centre employee said, “The roadside romeos are better than the white-collared gentlemen. At least you can chalk them out and maintain a safe distance. But what can we do against those who are mentally pervert? After all, we have to be obedient to those for our promotion, and they take advantage of the fact.”

“It is a growing social disease, which needs time to be cured. Those who can’t take woman naturally, should be counselled by psychiatrists,” said Bhatia. “Though women are found advancing rapidly in India, a major percentage of them still prefer to lead a non-controversial life,” she claimed. “Actually our society seems to be modern in its outlook, but the overall mentality has not changed. It is still confined within the superstitious beliefs of the medieval period. We have learnt a lot and achieved, but we have just changed the outer foil, the darkness is still alive in our minds as well,” Bhatia added.

Women are obviously trapped in a critical labyrinth in modern day society. Media is doing its best to prevent such incidents from happening, but until the women along with their male counterparts stand collectively against this social disease, the water would remain stagnant and still.

                                               
                                                       Some names have been changed on request