Ah, Nangi! The Reality of Street Harassment

by iVoice Staff
03-Dec-2015

There is speculation that the government might soon charge a fee from private vehicles entering Colombo during peak hours. This is to encourage more people to use public transport. It is not clear if the fee will be enforced, but our public transport isn’t an attractive alternative for many reasons.

Among them is the stark fact that buses and trains are a hotbed for sexual harassment.

Until now, no one had tried to quantify this pervasive problem. A recent islandwide study carried out byUNFPA, titledReport of Sexual Harassment in Public Transport, shows that around 92% of those who travel in private and public buses say harassment in public transport is more evident on buses. Some 73% of passengers also complain of harassment on trains.

Three wheelers aren’t safe either: 34% spoke of harassment inside these vehicles, by their drivers.

A Snap shot of harassment in Sri Lanka

There are plenty of horror stories about harassment in buses; stories about the perpetrators flashing, grabbing, touching and leering at their victims.

Here’s one such incident a 22 year old girl experienced:

“It was 8am and I was taking the (bus route) 154 from Kiribathgoda to Baudhaloka Mawatha. I try not to travel in buses at this time because the buses are usually filled to the point at which people are almost spilling out of them, but I was late that day and I felt I didn’t have a choice.

For most part the journey was fine, even though I wasn’t able get a seat and had to stand for half an hour. At Borella, however, people filed into the bus and soon I had bodies pressed against me and I could hardly breathe. As the bus began to move, I felt the man behind me grind himself on me. I knew what he was doing but I didn’t know how to react, I didn’t want to cause a scene. Completely helpless I almost broke down as I tried to squeeze through the crowded and disembark when the bus stopped.

Once I was out of the bus, I just couldn’t hold back the tears. I felt dirty. Some man had just used mybody to pleasure himself, while I was trapped and couldn’t even escape”.

According to the UNFPA report, incidences of sexual harassment are most frequent in private buses from 4:30am to 8:30am. Incidences reduce gradually with the least number of incidences occurring after 8pm. It’s clear that those being targeted are the schoolgirls and the working women.

The report states: Mostly affected persons (victims) are young and middle age female workers (40%) and schoolgirls (30%).

How harassment affects us

The trauma of being harassed on buses and trains doesn’t end when the victim disembarks. The mental distress lasts throughout the day and possibly for weeks depending on the severity of the harassment. 37% of the respondents said that it had affected their performance at work, 28% reported that they were unable to focus on their school work because of their lurid experience during their commute to school.

Many of them (44%) said that the harassment affected their personal life. 

The government is aware of the grim situation. There is a helpline for victims and notices announcing it are prominently displayed inside buses. But somehow, there seems to be gaps in the implementation process.

According NaushalyaRajapaksa from UNFPA, who coordinated the study, many respondents had said that when their called the helpline, they were asked for the license plate number of the bus (which a victim is not likely to note down right after a traumatic experience) or the perpetrator’s identity card number.

Apart from the government, youth groups have conducted awareness programmes as well. For example, Reach Out having conducted disruptive theater and forum theater performances and Sri Lanka Unites with their Show You Care campaign.

Going by the UNFPA study, a lot more needs to be done to eradicate the menace. Interventions need to be a more widespread, not only focused on Colombo. There are 5,222 SLTB on the roads across Sri Lanka, according to the Ministry of Transportation and Civil Aviation. And our trains make a grand total of 122,269 trips around the island (2013 figure). An islandwide campaign is much needed. Hopefully, it will teach young people that sexual harassment is unacceptable, so that the generations to come will have the freedom to travel and not be afraid.

In August 2014, a young woman named Thilini Imalka reacted violently when a man harassed her at the Waryapola bus stand. A bystander filmed on his mobile phone of her slapping the man repeatedly while yelling at him – the video, shared on Facebook, went viral and was picked up by the mainstream media as well. In a bizarre twist, Thilini was arrested by the police for assault, and sections of the media portrayed her harasser as the ‘victim’. The whole episode showed society’s lack of understanding and empathy for women who endure sexual harassment in public spaces and public transport.

 Sri Lanka certainly has a long way to go before this menace can be eradicated. Let’s hope that the alarming results of the UNFPA reportwill motivate the government and civil societyto work towards ending sexual harassment in public transport.

(This article was originally published in www.kiyanna.lk. That site is now changed to www.ivoice.lk owned by SDJF and supported by UNFPA)

Views:
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2017

5 votes
Say no to Street Harresment
The problem
When consider about Sri Lanka the situation is most women and girls are reluctant to against to these kind of harresment .Main reason is that they are not empower enough to do so.Hence what I suggest is implementing awareness programs among school students ;this can be done by organizing debates,drama compitions based on these topics.Further ,I think these programs will help new generation to see this issue in a different angle and make space for them to change their attitudes toward this issue facilitate to criticize the issue in formal way ;not only that it helps to empower specially school girls to raise against the harresments that they face in public transport
The solution
When consider about Sri Lanka the situation is most women and girls are reluctant to against to these kind of harresment .Main reason is that they are not empower enough to do so.Hence what I suggest is implementing awareness programs among school students ;this can be done by organizing debates,drama compitions based on these topics.Further ,I think these programs will help new generation to see this issue in a different angle and make space for them to change their attitudes toward this issue facilitate to criticize the issue in formal way ;not only that it helps to empower specially school girls to raise against the harresments that they face in public transport
Budget

60000

by erandiyasanthika1992
11 votes
Monkey cafe for Denuwara
The problem
Due to deforestation in the catchments of Yatinuwara and Udunuwara , monkeys have started invading the home gardens . Some of these monkeys are those troops captured and transported from the Dalada Maligawa premises. These monkeys which were to be released close to Mahaweli reservoirs were instead released in Pahala Kadugannawa by the Wildlife Dept. The monkeys are breeding rapidly and are encouraged by dumping of unregulated urban garbage. There is major damage done to fruit vegetable and coconut cultivation in the area by monkeys. Though it is against the Buddhist principles, some members of the communities have reacted by illegally shooting and electrocuting monkeys. Our youth group which is loosely affiliated to NetWwater ( Network of Women Water Professionals) has many young nature lovers who are also worried about the problems faced by small animals. Widespread illicit logging is causing problems in Denuwara catchments. As the catchments are felled the animal invasion of home gardens and urban areas will increase. The damage to home gardens will increase human –monkey conflict and reduce income for families . NetWwater has strong linkages with the Dept of Provincial education, Central Province especially Denuwara Educational Zone where they have supported marginalized schools with providing of Rain Water Harvesting tanks and school sanitation. They have also provided RWH systems for 26 hospitals in Central Province with the support of the Women for Water Partnership, Netherlands. NetWwater is negotiating with the Forest dept for getting permission for in the planting indigenous trees, fruit and spice trees in selected reserves to improve forest cover and expand food supply for small animals . Therefore we plan to collaborate to grow fruit trees in the catchments so that monkeys will be attracted back to the hill sides by a new food supply. We shall permanent tree crops such as jack fruit, soursap, guava and jambu to provide food for small animals. We have already carried out planting a nursery of 500 jak tree saplings which will be available for this particular activity. But more plants will have to be purchased as there is not enough time to grow them. We must collectively give an exposure to conservation for school children so that they become nature lovers. Therefore as hope to use this activity also to give a vision of environmentally sustainable development to school children so that they become inspired to become future custodians of nature. So we will link with the Denuwara Educational Zone of the Dept of Provincial education , Central Province to get assistance for tree planting . We also seek collaboration with the Lions Club Pilimatalawe to carry out an awareness campaign and distribute handbills on the Kadugannawa and Pilimatalawe pola days. We will collaborate with the existing community organizations and youth groups of the NYSC. We are also working in cooperation of the Sri Lanka Water Partnership and under direct supervision of NetWwater who give us technical assistance.
The solution
Due to deforestation in the catchments of Yatinuwara and Udunuwara , monkeys have started invading the home gardens . Some of these monkeys are those troops captured and transported from the Dalada Maligawa premises. These monkeys which were to be released close to Mahaweli reservoirs were instead released in Pahala Kadugannawa by the Wildlife Dept. The monkeys are breeding rapidly and are encouraged by dumping of unregulated urban garbage. There is major damage done to fruit vegetable and coconut cultivation in the area by monkeys. Though it is against the Buddhist principles, some members of the communities have reacted by illegally shooting and electrocuting monkeys. Our youth group which is loosely affiliated to NetWwater ( Network of Women Water Professionals) has many young nature lovers who are also worried about the problems faced by small animals. Widespread illicit logging is causing problems in Denuwara catchments. As the catchments are felled the animal invasion of home gardens and urban areas will increase. The damage to home gardens will increase human –monkey conflict and reduce income for families . NetWwater has strong linkages with the Dept of Provincial education, Central Province especially Denuwara Educational Zone where they have supported marginalized schools with providing of Rain Water Harvesting tanks and school sanitation. They have also provided RWH systems for 26 hospitals in Central Province with the support of the Women for Water Partnership, Netherlands. NetWwater is negotiating with the Forest dept for getting permission for in the planting indigenous trees, fruit and spice trees in selected reserves to improve forest cover and expand food supply for small animals . Therefore we plan to collaborate to grow fruit trees in the catchments so that monkeys will be attracted back to the hill sides by a new food supply. We shall permanent tree crops such as jack fruit, soursap, guava and jambu to provide food for small animals. We have already carried out planting a nursery of 500 jak tree saplings which will be available for this particular activity. But more plants will have to be purchased as there is not enough time to grow them. We must collectively give an exposure to conservation for school children so that they become nature lovers. Therefore as hope to use this activity also to give a vision of environmentally sustainable development to school children so that they become inspired to become future custodians of nature. So we will link with the Denuwara Educational Zone of the Dept of Provincial education , Central Province to get assistance for tree planting . We also seek collaboration with the Lions Club Pilimatalawe to carry out an awareness campaign and distribute handbills on the Kadugannawa and Pilimatalawe pola days. We will collaborate with the existing community organizations and youth groups of the NYSC. We are also working in cooperation of the Sri Lanka Water Partnership and under direct supervision of NetWwater who give us technical assistance.
Budget

0

by Lositha
58 votes
Workshops to promote inventions and motivate rural area school students
The problem
1)Providing guidances and motivations through conducting series of training workshops for selected young talented school students. 2) conducting robotic camps. 3) organizing competition after completing the training sessions. Awarding for the best ideas and invention. 4) If there are any possibilities to implement selected ideas of the students. Arranging some companies to implement that idea and to encourage them more and more.
The solution
1)Providing guidances and motivations through conducting series of training workshops for selected young talented school students. 2) conducting robotic camps. 3) organizing competition after completing the training sessions. Awarding for the best ideas and invention. 4) If there are any possibilities to implement selected ideas of the students. Arranging some companies to implement that idea and to encourage them more and more.
Budget

130000

by Ajmal Azees
3 votes
social works
The problem
Establish a center for giving advice to overcome social problems and establish youth clubs and empower their inter connectivity.
The solution
Establish a center for giving advice to overcome social problems and establish youth clubs and empower their inter connectivity.
Budget

100000

by Nethmi Karunarathne