One of the simplest definitions of eve teasing that I came across was an act done by men to arouse female attention. This definition sounds simple, however the problem certainly isn’t! Interestingly if you type the words “eve teasing” in any of the search engines, you would be surprised to find page after page of results are almost entirely Indian web pages. Does that mean it is more common in India, than other countries? I do not know for I have never traveled abroad but one thing is for sure, I have witnessed, heard and even experienced so many incidents that I can vouch that eve-teasing is certainly one national time pass, which many of this country’s men indulge in freely, unabashedly and shamelessly.
Try as I may it is very hard for me take a dispassionate view on the subject. For me it certainly is not an attention gathering technique! It erodes a girl’s pride and self-esteem and in some cases even drives her to extreme measures. Remember, Sarika Shah, the Chennai based girl who lost her life due to eve teasing. Certainly it is a deeper problem than our society gives it credit.
Some blame Bollywood for glorifying eve teasing. Doesn’t the hero always end up winning the heroine’s heart after some teasing ad chasing? Well, all I can say is that the Indian cinema portrays many other things too; try learning them for a change. Then there is the other section who feels that the women (the victim) must have provoked the action by her behavior or her dress…. if this section will open their eyes, they will notice that girls as young as ten years old or ladies as old as forty year old or more have been the victim. Please don’t tell me they dress provocatively!!
In any case no matter how hard a women tries to save her modesty by wearing a nine yards sari, jeans or anything, she is still leached at, pawed or even outright groped. And it is utterly humiliating. PERIOD!!
A wise person once said that nature gave women so much power that law never bothered to give her the same. So true…what we need is stronger laws and legislations because at the end of the day eve teasing is not just an attention garnering technique but a criminal offence.
And while we are talking of attention garnering…Guys, try manner, etiquettes, class or even poetry because chivalry is not dead.