26/07/2015

Delhiwantswomenhomebefore8p.m.TheHindu

Delhiwantswomenhomebefore8
p.m.

AseniorDelhiPoliceofficialsaidtheperceptionthattheCapitalwasunsafeforwomenwasnot
true.Filephoto
Delhiwantsitswomenhomebefore8p.m.,whilemencanenjoyaslightlylongercurfew,at
leastasperanewsurveythathaslaidbarethecitysdoublestandards.
Over85percentofrespondentssaidtheheadoftheirhouseholdwascomfortablewithanadult
femalememberofthefamilybeingouttill8p.m.orbefore.Whereas,atotalof72percentsaid
thesameheadofthehouseholdwasfinewithanadultmalememberofthefamilybeingouttill
10p.m.and12a.m.
However,thedeadlineformenisratherrestrictiveaswell,withthemajority(58percent)saying
a10p.m.deadlineiswhattheheadoftheirhouseholdiscomfortablewith.
WomensrightsactivistandthesecretaryoftheAllIndiaProgressiveWomensAssociation
(AIPWA),KavitaKrishnan,saidtheresultofthesurveyshowedthegenderedperspective
whenitcametocurfews.
Itsnotaboutsafetyatall.Itsaboutsocietysexpectationsofwomeninadomesticrole.
Womenareexpectedtocomehomeandtakecareofthehouse,saidMs.Krishnan.
Sheaddedthattherelativelyearlycurfewformenshowedthattherewasananxietyaboutthe
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26/07/2015

Delhiwantswomenhomebefore8p.m.TheHindu

youngermembersofafamilygoingoutintotheworldandfindingtheirownpartners.
Theheadofafamilyfeelstheneedtocontrolthesexualityoftheyoungermembers.Theyfeel
theneedtoimposehierarchy,saidMs.Krishnan.
Policeofficialsalsodiscountedthepossibilityofthelawandordersituationleadingtoearlier
curfews.AseniorDelhiPoliceofficialsaidtheperceptionthatDelhiwasunsafeforwomenwas
nottrue.
Delhiisnotarapecapitalasportrayedinthemedia.Otherbigcitiesintheworld,likeNew
York,havesimilarproblems,saidtheofficial.
RanjanaKumari,thedirectoroftheCentreforSocialResearch,howeverfeelsthe"lackof
safety"isthereasonforearlierdeadlinesforwomen.
"Safetyisaconcernforbothmenandwomen,butwomenbearthebruntofit.Theyare
expectedtobehomeearlierastheyareseenasunabletofendoffanyattacks,"saidMs.
Kumari.
ShiralieChaturvedi,acommunicationsprofessionalinSouthDelhi,saidthoughherfamilyhad
notimposedanyrestrictions,shewasexpectedtobecautiouswhentravellingaloneafter10
p.m."Noonehastoldmewhattimetobehome,butitisimpliedthatifI'mcominghomeat
night,Ishouldtakeacabandhavecompanypreferrably,"saidMs.Chaturvedi.
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48percentsatisfiedwithpolice[1]July26,2015
Links
1.http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Delhi/48percentsatisfiedwith
police/article7465796.ece?ref=relatedNews

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