Around 12 per cent girls feared experiencing sexual violence either in transport or on the way as one of the reasons for discontinuing education, while 61 per cent girls who are not studying wished to continue studies against 43 per cent young men. (Representational Image) Around 12 per cent girls feared experiencing sexual violence either in transport or on the way as one of the reasons for discontinuing education, while 61 per cent girls who are not studying wished to continue studies against 43 per cent young men. (Representational Image)

As many as 37 per cent of adolescent girls and 61 per cent of women experienced sexual violence in public space in some form in the past one year, a survey in Gujarat’s Surendranagar district has revealed. Of this 25 per cent of girls shared that they faced such violence, including visual, verbal, unwanted sexual contact such as touching and groping, on their way to school.

The survey was part of a two-year long intervention research study — kNOw Fear — that was tested in 16 villages of Patdi-Dasada block of Surendranagar district by the Society for Women’s Action and Training Initiatives (SWATI) and International Centre for Research on Women (ICRW), Asia supported by International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Around 59 per cent fo the girls reported about passing comments, throwing papers with messages or mobile numbers; 41 per cent shared that there winked at, leered or stalked; 29.7 per cent reported grabbing of hand, obscene gesture, touching and groping; 5.7 per cent girls reported about their photographs being taken without consent; 2 per cent about flashing and 1.7 per cent reported rape or attempt to rape.

Other findings of the study that covered 522 adolescent girls (15-19 years), 544 women (20-45 years) and 562 young men (18-22) revealed that 61 per cent women reported that they faced sexual violence of some kind on their way to work.

“Public space sexual violence has gained some attention after 2002 but it is mostly restricted to cities. In rural areas where a large majority of the population resides, violence of this kind is unacknowledged but prevalent. Safety of rural women and girls is typically achieved by confining them closer to the home by restricting mobility, pulling them out out from schools and colleges and early marriages,” shared Subhalakshmi Nandi, director of policy analysis for ICRW Asia, at a day-long national consultation and dissemination meeting Wednesday.

Around 12 per cent girls feared experiencing sexual violence either in transport or on the way as one of the reasons for discontinuing education, while 61 per cent girls who are not studying wished to continue studies against 43 per cent young men.

As many as 42 per cent girls changed their route to avoid public space sexual violence, while 25 per cent changed their timings and 30 per cent missed school.

Surprisingly, 57 per cent of women themselves believe that girls should be married early to protect them from sexual harassment against 38 per cent men and 42 per cent adolescent girls. Similarly, 54 per cent women shared that they should go out only when accompanied by a male.

“This is because Sexual Violence against Women and Girls (SVAWG) or its threat constraints opportunities and negatively impacts their ability to participate in and contribute to overall development… this is largely considered a fault of women and girls… there is a constant fear of rape and sexual assault among them. It is an exertion of power that the society has not given to the females,” adds Poonam Kathuria, director SWATI.

This exertion is also manifested in the findings towards access to technology. For instance, while 96 per cent young men own a mobile phone, this reduced to only 17 per cent girls and 30 per cent women. Of this, only 4.3 per cent girls have access to internet compared to 26 per cent young men.

The baseline research was followed by mobilisation of women’s collectives, encouraging youth participation and promote women participation in the gram sabhas. The quasi-experimental, evaluated intervention research model that was tested with 16 gram panchayats of Patdi block will now be replicated to other districts in Gujarat, said Poonam Kathutia. A total of 723 women directly participated through meetings, dialogues and campaigns.

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