Let us stand for safe, violence free world !

There is a call to be actively associated with ‘ One Voice ‘ a social media based campaign to pledge to stand and act against Gender Based Violence around them. We are a coalition of individuals and organisations who believe in a safe, violence free world.

So that we will give ourselves some time to reflect about the present situation of people, particularly women, children, old age persons and foreign visitors, in terms of their personal dignity and security. It may lead us to reflect about our individual and collective attention towards the challenges for a safe society. We will avoid ‘blame game’ and engage in multiple mobilisations for it to promote ‘zero tolerance’ about violence against women and other vulnerable sections of our society.

Most of us come to know about the threats and dangers creating a feeling of being ‘unsafe’ from the media reports. But when we are trapped in such a sad situation, it makes us very unhappy and agitated. At the same time, we are advised to either

i)                    ignore the experience as a bad dream,

ii)                    go to police for catching the culprits.

Both are not very acceptable advises. The first creates deep fears in our unconscious and the second may make us get more unhappy due to the high likelihood of getting ignored by the police system. But both these responses make the chain of fearless criminals grow unfettered.

It is a matter of some satisfaction that these settings are changing a little bit in some ways. Both these routine responses are getting replaced by speaking out by the affected individuals and friends. We are also getting some help from the police department as they have started advising the citizens to remember to call Number 100 as soon as they get threatened by any aggressive individuals and groups. There are more narratives by hurt individuals in the media. There are more responses by the police to the calls made by ordinary men and women.

But the need to make Delhi safe needs strengthening of third and fourth possibilities also –

iii)                    going to the media,

iv)          contacting some effective voluntary organisation who care for the safety and security of people,particularly the vulnerable sections of our society.

Media has to become motivator and monitor of the process of checking bad behaviour. Otherwise our public spaces and resources, particularly the transport facilities like Bus stops and Metro stations may become dangerous spots in the late hours as in many large cities of the world. Similarly, we need resourceful public service organisations who should cooperate with the victims of violence to take their complaint to the logical conclusion by helping them

a) in filing complaints,

b) providing legal support,

c) giving them courage and counselling,

d) helping the administration in m organising public education drives and other preventive measures in Delhi.

The schools, colleges, universities, cultural organisations, sports clubs, community groups, resident welfare associations, trade unions, and temple-mosque-Gurdwara-church related committees have to think about the need to come together and clean our surrounding by resisting the habit of violence towards women, children, old age persons and foreign visitors.

Let us all tell each other that we stand for safe society and we will help anyone who comes forward to join in it. This has the potential for the rest of the nation to come together and say that we stand against Gender Based Violence.

This Blog is part of the Men Say No Blogathon, encouraging men to take up action against the violence faced by women. More entries to the Blogathon can be read at www.mustbol.in/blogathon. Join further conversation on facebook.com/delhiyouth & twitter.com/mustbol