I wish to add that I have done another research study in 2014 on a sample of 100 girl students and 100 boy students from various University departments of Punjabi University, Patiala to gauge their perceptions about the problem of eve-teasing. It was presented in a National Seminar and got published in an edited book in 2016. It can be cited as :
- 1. Renu and Harpreet Singh, Problem of Eve-teasing in a University: Social Dynamics and Perceptions,in Mamta Mokta (ed.) Dimensions of Gender Inequality in Society, Shree Ram Law House, Chandigarh, 2016, pp. 54-63.
(Before people start wondering if I am from Sociology, I must clarify that I am from Public Administration dept but interdisciplinary nature of the subject and my interests motivate me to delve into other fields also.)
THRUST
AREA: GENDER ISSUES IN SOCIETY
PROBLEM OF EVE-TEASING IN A UNIVERSITY: SOCIAL DYNAMICS AND
PERCEPTIONS
Dr. Renu
Professor
Dept. of Public Administration
Punjabi
University, Patiala, Punjab
0175-3046242, rennuganesh@gmail.com
Mr. Harpreet Singh
Assistant Professor in Public
Administration
University College, Dhilwan (Barnala), Punjab
88724-19777 hrprt711@gmail.com
University College, Dhilwan (Barnala), Punjab
88724-19777 hrprt711@gmail.com
About the Study
Eve-teasing has emerged as one of the serious methods of
violence against women in the eastern societies. It is an attitude, a mindset,
a set of behaviors that is perceived as an act of insult and degradation of the
female sex. It is one of the worst forms of abuse from which numerous women
regardless of class, profession, and age are suffering. Educational
institutions are not an exception. Therefore, with the help of a Questionnaire,
the present empirical study gauges the perceptions of a sample of University
goers about the problem of eve-teasing and the level of their sensitivity about
the issue in one of the universities of the state of Punjab. For
this purpose, the university chosen as the universe was Punjabi University,
Patiala of Punjab. It is a leading state university which was established in
the Malwa region of Punjab in 1961. It attracts students from Punjab,
neighboring states as well as from other countries like Ethiopia. It reflects a
kaleidoscopic pattern of culture. A convenience sample of 200 boys and girls
(students) was chosen from different streams of faculties of Punjabi
University, Patiala (Punjab) like Arts, Languages and Social Sciences etc. The primary data was collected in 2014. The study tried to look at the social dynamics behind the act of eve-teasing. Findings
revealed subtle as well as sharp differences among perspective of boys and
girls on the issue of eve-teasing regarding safety of social environment, dress
of girls, social restrictions, impact of eve-teasing on girl’s mindset and the
possible remedies for eve-teasing. Major factors responsible for this menace
were identified as inadequate socialization in the prevailing patriarchal
set-up, media’s negative role in projecting eve-teaser as a hero and trust-deficit
towards administrative security measures for the girls. Time has come when
society should adopt zero tolerance towards this problem and rein in the
wayward sons.
(Concluding para of the paper -It is in the fitness of the things when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his maiden Independence Day speech (2014)[i] brought forth a bitter reality of our society that parents ask their daughters hundreds of questions, but have any parents ever dared to ask their son as to where he is going, why he is going out, who his friends are. After all, a rapist is also somebody’s son. In the present survey, a girl respondent poignantly remarked that now the time has come when instead of imposing restrictions on the girl, the society should impart lessons to a boy regarding how to behave with a girl decently. Indubitably, it is high time for our society to introspect and improve itself.)
[i] Narendra Modi, “Independence
Day Speech”, August 15, 2014, Retrievable at http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/full-text-prime-minister-narendra-modis-speech-on-68th-independence-day/99/
Keywords: Eve-teasing,
Gender inequality, Gender insensitivity, Patriarchical set-up, Socialization.
No comments:
Post a Comment