Eve-teasing: You should take these few steps to save yourself

A woman should always carry a safety weapon.

Representational Image (IANS)

New Delhi: A Delhi Police sub-inspector has been apprehended for allegedly molesting four women in the national capital and these incidents reportedly took place between October 17 to 20 in the national capital's Dwarka area.

According to PTI news agency, the women lodged four separate FIRs regarding molestation in Dwarka against sub-inspector Puneet Grewal. One of the women who was molested described her experience in a video posted on a social media platform and said that she was cycling in Dwarka near Dussehra ground on October 17 morning when she saw a man inside a grey Baleno car. She said that the arrested cop asked her for directions to Sector-14 and when she was about to tell him, he flashed his private part and fled when the woman started screaming. The other three women also said that they were molested by him and the inspector has been dismissed following these allegations and departmental action has been initiated.

Amid all these shocking incidents, one can only think of the ways to save themselves from such acts. Following are the few steps to save yourself from eve-teasing: 

- Self-defence: Self-defence is the best weapon for such scenarios. It could be a kick, a punch, or an elbow strike and there are several widely-considered self-defence techniques that a woman could learn. Notably, the right to self-defence is also a legal right. 

- Stay alert: Every person should stay alert while travelling and should keep an eye on the suspicious characters.

- Carry a safety weapon: A woman should carry a safety weapon, which could be a pepper spray, a key-chain - Kubotan or anything that's pointy. 

- Body language: Sometimes the suspicious characters can be judged from their physical behaviours which include their facial expressions, body posture, gestures, eye movement and the way they touch. Being aware of such physical behaviours can be beneficial most of the times.

- Sound an alarm: Sometimes all a person needs in a difficult situation is a helping hand and in such scenarios, a person should sound an alarm and shout for help. 

- Keep emergency contacts on speed dial: Every person should also keep contacts of Police and their close family members on speed dial on their phones. 

- Dial 100: In an emergency, you should always dial 100. Do not hang up if the call isn't answered immediately. Try staying calm and state the problem, give the location if you know and try including an apartment number and the name of the road. If in case you don't know the address, give an intersection or a landmark and answer the operator's questions and stay on the call till the time operator asks you. Try to be descriptive as much as you can and you could also be asked to identify people or automobiles involved if any. Police personnel say that the more information you can provide, the better they will be able to prioritize your call and relay details to responding units. If the situation changes before help arrives, call 100 again and then give the operator an update. Remember that the calls from payphones are free 

Besides all these steps, if you've been the victim of a crime, you have witnessed a crime or are aware of a crime being committed, it's also important to report it. Sometimes it's not easy to come forward, but if no one reports a crime, it's as if it never happened and the criminal is free to commit more crime which eventually results in damaging more communities and individuals.

In the Indian Penal Code, Section 298 (A) and (B) sentences a man found guilty of making a girl or woman the target of obscene gestures, remarks, songs or recitation for a maximum tenure of 3 months.

Section 292 of the IPC says that showing pornographic or obscene pictures, books or slips to a woman or girl draws a fine of Rs 2000 with two years of rigorous imprisonment for first offenders and in case of repeated offence, when and if proved, the offender is fined Rs 5000 with 5 years of jail term.

Under Section 509 of the IPC, obscene gestures, indecent body language and acidic comments directed at any woman or girl carry a penalty of rigorous imprisonment for 1 year or a fine or both.