Women Safety & how women are braving it in India

Posted by amrina alshaikh on July 4th, 2019

Safety for women has mostly been in the hushes. It is an aspect within the society that has been taken seriously in the few years gone by as crimes against women have also drastically increased. Whether it is within the confines of her own household or out on the streets, women safety is essential, especially in India.

Conditions of Indian women

It is not quite a secret that the female population in India live half their lives scared or being told to be afraid of things totally beyond their control. Even as children in school, girls are said to be careful as you may never know what may happen on the roads. Following such conditions, Hamam Go Safe Outside ad was launched which sparked an idea of women taking their safety into their own hands. Women empowerment and self-defense came into the light for females in the following years.

Until the late 1990s, people were made to believe that women were weak, they were supposed to take care of men and stay silent through any unbearable pain that they may be given. However, things started taking a turn in the late 2000s and women themselves realized it was enough. Hamam Go Safe Outside was a campaign that aimed to reach out to women. It left a message for everyone to see that it was time the misunderstood and weak deemed gender took a stand for themselves as no one else ever would. There have been remarkable differences ever since. Although the current scenario is still bad, women are starting to speaking up.

Braving it

Braving it in India is a big thing. There comes society, culture, religion and so many other irrelevant things as compared to one’s respect and safety. However, there are times that women along with their families realize that the life of a loved one is dearer than anything else. Here are a few things that women are doing to empower themselves:

• Career before everything: Career is the ultimate pedestal of life. It helps you be confident about your aim and purpose in life and gives you financial support.
• No means no: Whether it is a simple date, a marriage proposal or unpaid overtime, the simple word ‘no’ carries a lot of power.
• #MeToo: Speaking up about any kind of harassments done to you is worth it, no matter when it happened to you. It will help you and others in dealing with similar situations.
• Marriage, a wish not an obligation: Although it is not a widespread concept among many yet, it is slowly becoming a realization among women that marriage is a wish to bond with someone for a lifetime. It has really brought up who, when and why a female should get married.

Conclusion

Women and their safety in India will always be a topic of heat until everyone finally decides to stop treating them differently. The future generation should have a better world where everyone is allowed to live, work, love and walk freely, without any fear, obligation or worry. Till then, some Indian women and men struggle on, while others simply wait. It may be difficult, but it will be worth the struggle.