HYDERABAD: Over 80 per cent eve-teasers and stalkers believe they are innocent. Their reason: it isn’t wrong to tease, stalk or trouble a woman or girl and these antics are ‘acceptable’ in our society.
This troubling facts came out in a survey conducted by the SHE teams of the Cyberabad police. The participants in the survey are those who were apprehended by the SHE teams for teasing women in public places.
To the question, ‘How will you react if your sister or wife or mother is teased, molested or raped?’ - over 50 per cent expressed outrage, but at the same time, they also claimed ‘women are equally at fault’ for moving freely and making themselves ‘vulnerable.’
Around 20 per cent, however, expressed regret and offered to work with the SHE teams for creating awareness among the people on the need to respect women. Disturbingly, the other major find of the survey is that many offenders believe eve-teasing/outraging modesty/molestation of women are more ‘an act of violence’ rather than an act of overwhelming sexual urge.
The Cyberabad Police Commissioner reviewed the functioning of SHE Teams and commended them for their efforts in nabbing eve-teasers and making the region safe for women.
The SHE teams have introduced a novel way to understand the mind of the offenders - a questionnaire is given to them before the commencement of counselling. The questionnaire consists of 15 questions ranging from the particulars of the person to the factors which prompt him to engage in such act of violation against women. It also tests the attitude and psyche of the offenders towards women.