Attacks on women in Bangalore

In the last two days, four different women have been attacked in broad daylight in Bangalore by gangs of strangers. The stories have just begun to emerge as this evening two of them filed FIRs.

Update: Reports in The Hindu here and also here.

The details of other stories will probably emerge in the papers over the next few days. So far it is not clear who is doing the attacks. In one case, I hear, that the girl was taunted and given a cellphone and told to call the cops, implying that no one was going to help her.The most frightening detail that has emerged in these stories is that in each incident members of the public stood close at hand and watched.

As bystanders in these incidents of violence we may be shocked and worried about personal safety. But we need to push ourselves to intervene. We must because tomorrow it will be one of us.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Call the police.

2. Note down details about vehicles if the attackers came in any.

3. Try and remember as many details about the physical appearances of the attackers as possible.

And no matter how scared we are we must shout, I mean literally shout. Wail, scream, shout, throw things, honk, gather a crowd, chase the attackers away.

Are we going to be the bystanders who let women get beaten, kicked in the face, attacked before us. Are we going to tell ourselves that only our own safety matters?

UPDATE: There have been loads of enthusiasm from some very spunky women rights' activists and others culminating in an meeting in Bangalore at 6 pm today. The girls who are the surviviors of these latest attacks refuse to be daunted and are out of their homes doing what normally do. Their message for women everywhere: Do not be frightened. Go out and do what you want to do. Students' groups from different colleges are also joining in to fight back. Two filmmakers have agreed to make one minute ads addressed to THE BYSTANDER.

UPDATE from Survivor #1:
Thanks to you all for your support. It means a lot to me and to the others like me who have had to face such incidents.

I hope the collective efforts of several organisations that have come together will make a real difference. And while all this effort to create awareness and a strong push to do something moves ahead, I would like to make one point; if dealt with properly, these incidents could serve as a catalyst to begin a movement to regain a fearless state and country. However, if not dealt with sensitively, then it could serve to create more panic, confusion and fear. Perhaps it would even encourage more violence.

When we go out there and talk about these issues, let’s be clear - these incidents are symptoms of a larger evil. It is not about what I was wearing, or which economic or religious rank I belong to. It not about what time of day or night I was out on the street, or whether I have a jilted lover. In the end it is not about finding a simple answer to why these incidents happen; it is about sourcing the root and finding a solution. It’s about the fact that as a woman and a tax paying citizen of this country, I have the right to work, learn, earn and engage with the community without fear.

Most importantly, it is not about pointing accusatory fingers at each other. It is not only the fault of the police or the government. It is a problem that belongs to all of us.

My safety is not just my own responsibility. It is the shared responsibility of the community and society I live in. If you stand by and let such incidents happen around you, you condone the actions of the aggressor. By not reacting, you are saying that you are okay with this happening to you or your loved ones.

It is your duty to call the cops, or step in and try to stop the violence, as much as it is mine to report it to the police and write or speak about it so these things do not become the norm.