Students with Chandigarh SSP Nilambari Vijay Jagdale at Dev Samaj College for Women. Sahil Walia
AN INTERACTIVE session between Chandigarh SSP Nilambari Vijay Jagdale and students of DAV College for Women in Sector 45 Wednesday saw many young women to speak their minds. They spoke about facing harassment while traveling in government buses, walking on roads and even in their homes.
Shalini Sharma, president of the student council, spoke about when she was harassed by a man on a bus. She said she could not take a stand at the time as she was not sure of getting support from her fellow travellers. “Even if I had tried to complain, it may not have helped,” she added. In reply, SSP Jagdale referred to the mass public support for the victim across the country in the 2012 gangrape case in Delhi.
“There has been a change in the society, where a woman is capable enough to report a crime against her. You surely will get justice if you have confidence in yourself and the police in performing their duty.”
She urged women to be agents of change in the society.
Galaxy, a BA 1st year student, said she was abused and harassed by a police personneland also threatened by him with a broken piece of glass. She dialled 100 and reported the incident but said no action was taken when they were informed that the man was a police personnel.
“In such cases, one should approach senior officers,” said Jagdale, urging Galaxy to register her complaint again. She also assured her that action would be taken.
Many women face harassment in their own homes where they can neither stand up against such incidents nor ask their parents for help. People are afraid of reporting the incidents to avoid police or public attention.
In such cases an individual should approach women’s welfare institutes or NGOs for support and help, said the SSP.
Some students said they believed Chandigarh was a safe city but incidents such as the Varnika Kundu stalking case had shattered this belief.
The session was organised by the women’s cell of DAV college.
