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 Women Break Silence About Sexual Harassment on Nepali Buses

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Posted on 11-05-12 10:15 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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http://globalpressinstitute.org/asia/nepal/women-break-silence-about-sexual-harassment-nepali-buses/page/0/0

By Lochana Sharma



KATHMANDU, NEPAL – Sapana Acharya, 18, a college student, moved more than 300 miles from her home district of Morang to get an education in Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital.

But the more difficult journey has been the daily bus ride to get to Ratna Rajya Laxmi College, a constituent campus of Tribhuvan University.

“Is there any law against harassment? Even if there is one, how do I prove that I was harassed? There is no evidence.”

It’s not because the buses are often crowded and uncomfortable. Rather, it’s the attitude and behavior of the male passengers. Acharya says they either push or inappropriately touch her – usually intentionally – during her 30- to 45-minute bus ride every day to and from school.

“I am frustrated by being touched in my private parts in a crowded bus,” she says.

The public transportation around Kathmandu is always crowded with throngs of people waiting to board already packed buses. The mobs are worst during peak hours, when working adults and students are traveling for their jobs and school. This allows more opportunity for perpetrators, Acharya says.

But she has no other option for getting to school.

“I have to use the bus even if it is crowded,” she says dejectedly. “Otherwise, I will miss my classes.”

But she refrains from reporting the sexual harassment because of the fear of what would happen if nobody believed her, she says.

“Where do I go and report against such behavior?” she asks. “Is there any law against harassment? Even if there is one, how do I prove that I was harassed? There is no evidence.”

Nepali women say they face constant sexual harassment on public buses, their main means of transportation to get to work and school. Double victimization deters them from reporting incidents, as society often blames the victims of sexual abuse here and evidence and witnesses are difficult to secure. Laws are in place to protect women from abuse, but reports and enforcement of penalties are rare.

There were more than 1.28 million public vehicles registered in Nepal during the 2010-2011 fiscal year, according to the Department of Transport Management. One million people use public transport daily in the 70 of Nepal's 75 districts that are connected with a roadway, making this industry a major player in the Nepali economy.

Public buses are the main means of transportation for the majority of the population, especially women, children and people with disabilities, says Kathmandu traffic inspector Sitaram Hachhethu.

They are also the most common places for girls and women to suffer sexual harassment.

Manima Shubba, a homemaker living in central Kathmandu , stresses that women of all walks of life have faced abuse in public vehicles – including her. The only difference is the number of times they have been victims.

Ganga Mishra, a 19-year-old student who attends the same college as Acharya, is one of those victims. Residing in the north of Kathmandu, she must take a 20-minute bus ride to get to school in the central part of Kathmandu. Like Acharya, she also faces constant sexual harassment on the bus.

“As the bus started to move, the middle-aged guy moved towards me,” Mishra says, recalling a particularly disturbing incidence. “I didn’t say anything when he bumped on me every time the driver hit the brake. I had to rebuke him when he moved his hand towards my chest.”

Mishra says she felt lonely and humiliated when the perpetrator denied any wrongdoing. Instead of helping her, other travelers glared at her accusatorily. Even the females on the bus offered no help, she adds.

Mohan Mani Pokharel, an associate professor of educational psychology  at Tribhuvan University, says this amounts to sexual abuse.

“Sexual abuse is not limited to sexual intercourse,” he says. “Touching the body parts, staring and even using obscene language is sexual abuse.”

The perpetrator is often a middle-aged man who thinks he is secure in committing such a crime, Pokharel says. When confronted, he will put on a fatherly act, citing that he was just being protective.

Mishra’s experience left her wondering whether it is right to protest against harassment. But because of the other travelers’ response, she lost her confidence in speaking out against it.

Lawyer Shashi Adhikari, chairwoman of Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre, a nongovernmental organization that provides free legal services to women, says that women’s low self-esteem and inability to speak in front of a crowd prevent them from seeking justice. Society blames the victim in cases of sexual abuse, so women fear stigma. Instead of speaking out, they keep quiet and endure the violence.

Parbati Thapa Magar, the deputy inspector general of Nepal Police’s Midwestern Regional Police Office, says that women are the victims because they have lower self-esteem. She also cites the societal stigma attached to women who are abused for their reluctance to speak out.

“The victims cannot utter things that the perpetrator[s] do to them,” Magar says. “The perpetrator should be ashamed of his behavior, not the victim who suffers.”

Women, therefore, face double victimization when they have to fear the repercussions of speaking out against abuse, Magar says. Instead of confronting the perpetrators, most victims flee with self-shame.

Sexual abuse hurts girls’ and women’s self-esteem and confidence, says Laxmi Pariyar, a former Constituent Assembly member and youth activist.

Pariyar, who has also been a victim of verbal sexual harassment on public transportation, says it’s difficult to report because of the lack of tangible evidence.

“When I was traveling to my hometown, Udaypur, eastern part of Nepal, in an overnight bus, a few men said offensive things that I cannot repeat here to me,” she says. “I warned them, but they didn’t back down. I ended up fighting with them and reported them to the police.”

But Pariyar later withdrew her complaint because of difficulties in providing proof of the harassment.

Tara Maharjan, legal counselor for the National Women Commission, an independent commission established by the government for the promotion and protection of women’s rights, confirms this challenge.

“The commission receives complaints against domestic violence, but never have we received any on sexual abuse in public places,” she says. “It is so because of difficulty in proving the perpetrator guilty.”

There is not a single written report filed under sexual abuse in public vehicles at the Midwestern Regional Police Office, Magar says.

The Interim Constitution of Nepal 2006 ensures the right of all citizens to freely travel around the country. Various rules and bylaws regulate the transportation sector.

Nepali law penalizes sexual abuse with three months in prison for the perpetrator and a fine of 25,000 rupees ($300) to compensate the victim, Maharjan says. But the reporting system is not victim-friendly, as it’s difficult to collect evidence and find witnesses to testify in court.

“Due to all these reasons, the victims do not take legal action,” Maharjan says.

Hachhethu says that the traffic police intervene if they witness sexual abuse even if there is no formal complaint.

“I saw a bus staff trying to molest a girl while helping her board the bus,” Hacchethu says. “Although the girl didn’t complain, I took him in custody.”

But police don’t always uphold the penalties outlined by the law.

“I left him after he signed a commitment saying he would not repeat such behavior,” Hacchethu says.

For victims, he encourages them to report incidents.

“Women do not show courage to complain against sexual abuse,” Hachhethu says disappointedly.

Prahlad Karki, section officer in the Department of Transport Management, encourages girls and women to report sexual harassment.

“We can intervene if the bus staff commit such crime,” he says. “But then the crime should be reported, and we have not received any complaints to date.”

Pariyar asks police to be better enforce the law.

“The guidelines of the Ministry of Labour and Transport should be strictly enforced with regard to the use of impolite language, touching the bodies of women unnecessarily while demanding the fares by the public transport conductors and pasting of obscene advertisements inside the vehicle,” she says.

Mishra suggests stationing undercover policewomen on public buses to catch perpetrators.

The Ministry of Physical Planning, Works and Transport Management formed the Public Transport Code of Conduct in 2010 to regulate the transportation sector, Adhikari says. The code includes reserving seats for women, the elderly and the disabled.

But able-bodied men often disregard the law and occupy these seats, says Arjun Shrestha, a bus driver in Kathmandu.  

Society needs to address the culture of violence against women, as sexual harassment toward women is not limited to crowded buses and marketplaces, Magar says.

Pariyar agrees.

“Women face violence in all the sectors,” she says.


 
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Posted on 11-06-12 10:00 AM     [Snapshot: 839]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Pretty sad that victims get blamed.
 
Posted on 11-06-12 10:33 AM     [Snapshot: 883]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Men need to break their silence on uninvited bodily grinding by females too. Once in a closely packed bus one girl from PK was grinding my backside after a while i could not take it anymore so i turned around and it was my turn to grind. I was not about to break my silence on the unspoken act of sexual gratification for both unwilling parties unwittingly involved but this article made me come forward. Does it mean females are allowed to grind from back in bus but males are not?
 
Posted on 11-06-12 11:00 AM     [Snapshot: 924]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Does it mean females are allowed to grind from back in bus but males are not? 
oiee kukurman tero didi baini cha?
well ama ta hola ni? 
yehi prasna gayera tero amalai sodh. 
u will get the answer.

 
Posted on 11-06-12 11:11 AM     [Snapshot: 931]     Reply [Subscribe]
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B'man, those fantasies are best kept to yourself. Who're you kidding here? 

Not sure about feasibility, but I think starting transportation services catering to women only would be a massive hit and a welcome move back home. Eve-teasing and other acts of physical harassment like groping are common practices in crowded areas thanks to Nepal being a shithole for women, generally speaking. Mandating laws that'd require men to give their seats women would be a welcome move, too. 




 
Posted on 11-06-12 12:21 PM     [Snapshot: 1013]     Reply [Subscribe]
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this is simply unacceptable, how about putting cheap camera in every buses
we can pressurized government to do so.
the cost of camera is so cheap compare to cost of harrasement and bus,
it can be easily revelaed who is harrasing whom, more is the case of lady or girl bring harrased and i also believe a guy will be harrased if ladies are outnumbered.
[Disallowed String for - Bad word 'fuk']ker retard , before harresing lady in the bus think of own daughter or mother, we have to put this sign in the bus atleast.
now there is microbus in ktm, i guess it might have increased , driver and conducter put human as cloths in the microbus.
 
Posted on 11-06-12 1:18 PM     [Snapshot: 1080]     Reply [Subscribe]
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You can't change the mindset, but you can change the process. In India, there are female only cabs/booths in trains. Female only buses should be run during peak time, if not by private entity then by government.

Edit: Camera won't be useful. How many cameras and how many angles are you going to shoot it from? These things happen in a crowded bus, a camera cannot capture all angles, and these pervs use the every nook and cranny possible to get their hands around. Also the review process would be significant burden.
Last edited: 06-Nov-12 01:22 PM

 
Posted on 11-06-12 1:21 PM     [Snapshot: 1081]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Riddle it's not fantasy it happened for real thats why i wrote it. If you don't believe it then it's your problem.

Good_mission lai kina mission impossible bhako? Batoma jo keti dekhepani timro didi bahini ama samjhanchau? Timrai ama le timlai pauna missionary style ma aah aah garya hola kina bina sitti ma ama bau ko kura nikalchau?

 
Posted on 11-06-12 3:23 PM     [Snapshot: 1219]     Reply [Subscribe]
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if not one camera works we can put 2, if not 2 then 3
sexual harrasement shouldn't be tolerated at any cost

one can easily figure out who is the real harraser
 
Posted on 11-06-12 3:55 PM     [Snapshot: 1260]     Reply [Subscribe]
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 IDK why everyone is shouting at Bokaman?? He might be telling the truth. I also experienced similar situation. Do not ever think all the women are milk bathed. Once, probably in 2009, I was in the bus from Ekantakuna to Ratna park and my dad was accompanying me. The bus was not that full, there was lot of space to stand as only 5-6 people were standing. My father and I were standing face to face and a woman of ~35 was behind me. All the time she poked me on my back with her breasts. I felt so ashamed being with father as he could see it facing in opposite direction. I tried to get away from her but again she rubbed my back with her that two things.

So, my point here is, sexual harrasment in the public buses should brought to legislation, but not only womem are always the victim. 

Mission, you reminded me dialouge of hindi movies from 80's LOL

 
Posted on 11-06-12 4:03 PM     [Snapshot: 1289]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Oli ji le kasto kura nabujhya bhanya? Camera could be a deterrent..people might behave just cause there's a camera..but it won't be very useful. When there are too many people, camera view gets blocked, even if you put 100 cameras inside the bus. Also, camera has to be up top; as you can't have camera in the bus floor looking up (u should know why) and the top camera will never catch whats happening below.
Not sure why I am debating this...my point is they should start female only buses on certain locations during peak hours.
 
Posted on 11-06-12 6:42 PM     [Snapshot: 1442]     Reply [Subscribe]
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@bokey..
coz u indirectly insulted those victims who had been through such harassment by the people like u....bcoz none of them are  your didi..baini and ama bhandaima, it doesn't mean they are not of others...
k sochera u mentioned your pathetic prediction that a female will harass male in  a public vehicles..
girls are abused, harassed and raped by pathetic bokey not a girl abuses, harasses and rapes a bokey..
whatever, to be clear..not saying bad about your sis and mother..simply respect them..but they may regret for your pathetic prediction or question..



 
Posted on 11-06-12 6:51 PM     [Snapshot: 1464]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Now I see why Nepal is going down the hill every day. All the guys with high moral values and intelligence came to US.

And just my innocent question, why these people always says ask your mom, sister why not dad, uncle or brotha.

P.S: I am not in favor of grinding in public bus by any one. If I wouldn't have wrote this some kanchi will sent me P.M again
 
Posted on 11-07-12 12:25 PM     [Snapshot: 1817]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Bokaman is plain old annoying. Why do you have to turn everything into a joke? Were you molested by a female? If so seek therapy #retardassclown
 
Posted on 11-07-12 12:30 PM     [Snapshot: 1817]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Halo i already wrote that a girl molested me by rubbing against my back in the Bus. Can you please read the whole thing before you try to act judgmental and morally correct. Does getting molested sound like a joke to you?

 
Posted on 11-08-12 11:42 AM     [Snapshot: 2171]     Reply [Subscribe]
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 Bokaman, what's the severity of the mental stress caused by the act of molestation? Have you sought some help? You might wanna go see a psychiatrist. 
 
Posted on 11-08-12 8:18 PM     [Snapshot: 2329]     Reply [Subscribe]
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yes this is a serious issue, i have seen lots of this kind of act in the bus , all those loosers who didnt have chance with gf , get try to take opportunity in the bus for all those innocent school girls.
they just rub their rod in the femal butt, sick bastard.
 
Posted on 11-08-12 8:42 PM     [Snapshot: 2340]     Reply [Subscribe]
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True, untrusty. More often than not, culpits escape punishment because of their victims' reluctance to come forward. But then again, the thrashing that these sickos if they get caught is one they'll remember for the rest of their lives too. Reminds me of an incident that took place during my childhood. A bunch of us were aboard a local bus to go to Bhaktapur when we were in 8th grade and midway through our journey, a woman in early 20s made a frantic cry. The bus driver stopped the bus and she pointed her fingers at a guy in late 20s, saying he was groping her when the bus' brakes were slammed while it made stops. The next thing I know, about 6-7 of us and a few other fellow passengers jumped on the guy. I think I succeeded to land a punch on his temple too. 

Come to think of it, had Bokaman made a plea back at the heat of the moment, maybe the culprit(s) would've gotten punished, too. Whaduya have to say to that, Bokaman? 
 
Posted on 11-08-12 9:03 PM     [Snapshot: 2366]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Posted on 11-08-12 10:39 PM     [Snapshot: 2448]     Reply [Subscribe]
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Only cure is gal need to speak out loudguhar help or something like that loud so that younpipasu dude will feel shame and guilty and everybody should help ketis and its free socialization efficient cost effectively and morally ok because Nepali movies also do such acting time to time .
 
Posted on 12-12-12 8:45 AM     [Snapshot: 2907]     Reply [Subscribe]
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सादा पोशाकमा प्रहरी


काठमाडौ, मंसिर २७ - सार्वजनिक यातायातमा महिलाका संवेदनशील अंगमा छुने, चलाउने र आँखा वा अनुहारको इशाराले जिस्क्याउनेलाई नियन्त्रणमा लिन सरकारले सादा पोशाकका प्रह परिचालन गर्ने भएको छ । विशेष ग उपत्यकाका सवामा यात्रु चाप हुने र पुरुष यात्रुले दुव्र्यवहार गरेको उजु बढेपछि प्रह र प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयले यात्रुको भेषमा महिला प्रह खटाउन लागेको हो ।

प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयका अनुसार त्यसका लागि अन्तर मन्त्रालय स्तरीय बैठकले 'सार्वजानिक यातायात आचार संहिता' बनाएको छ । खचाखच भरिएको बसमा महिला यात्रुलाई नियतबस धकेल्ने, हात चिप्लिए जस्तो गरेर छुने जस्ता क्रियाकलाप हुने गरेका छन् । महानगय प्रह आयुक्तको कार्यालयका एआइजी नवराज ढकालले सार्वजानिक सवामा हुने हिंसा रोक्न प्रह परिचालनको तया भएको बताए । लैङगिक हिंसा अन्त्यका लागि शून्य सहनशिलता बिषयक गोष्ठीमा ढकालले प्रह त्यसप्रति संवेदनशिल भएको उल्लेख गर्दै भने, 'कुनै पनि दुव्र्यवहार रोक्न प्रहरी प्रतिवद्ध छ ।'

प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयका जनसरोकार सचिव कृष्णहरि बाँस्कोटाले सार्वजानिक सवामा हुने दुव्र्यवहारबाट बचाउन दश कक्षा पढिरहेकी छोलाई स्कुटर सिकाइ रहेको बताए । 'आमाको स्कुटर सिकिरहेकी छ, एसएलसी पास गर्ने बित्तिकै स्कुटर किन्दिन्छु' उनले भने । दुब्र्यवहारबाट बचाउन आफू कडाईका साथ लाग्ने उनले बताए ।

दुव्र्यवहार गर्ने व्यक्तिलाई तुरुन्त पक्राउ गरिने सचिव बाँस्कोटाले बताए । समाजमा सम्मान र सभ्यता विकास गर्न अभियान थाल्न लागेको उनले जानकारी दिए । दुव्र्यवहार गर्ने व्यक्तिलाई सार्वजानिक अपराध ऐनमा मुद्दा चलाइनेछ । सरकारले तयार गरेको आचार संहितामा उल्लेख भए अनुसार सवाका सहयोगी र चालकले महिलासँग शिष्ट र सभ्य भाषामा कुरा गर्नुपर्नेछ । सहयात्री पुरुष यात्रुले समेत शिष्ट भाषा प्रयोग गर्नु पर्ने संहितामा छ । 'सवा साधन भित्र महिलालाई यौन दुब्र्यवहार गरे वा गर्न सहयोग गरे कारबाही हुनेछ', बाँस्कोटाले भने ।

आचार संहिता अनुसार सवारीमा धूमपान गर्न पाइने छैन । त्यसो गरे तुरुन्त ओरालिनेछ । सार्वजानिक सवारी साधनमा अश्लिल, महिला बिरुद्धका उद्धरणहरु लेख्न, लेखाउन पाइने छैन । अश्लिल चित्र र पोष्टर टाँस्न समेत आचारसंहिताले प्रतिवन्ध लगाएको छ । 'त्यस्ता चित्र वा पोष्टर टाँसिएको र लेखिएको पाए, तुरुन्त हटाउनु पर्नेछ' बाँस्कोटाले भने 'लैङगिक हिंसालाई प्रोत्साहित गर्ने वा महिला बर्गको अपमान हुने खालको गीत संगित र भिडियो बजाउन पाइने छैन ।'

लैङगिक हिंसा बिरुद्धको १६ दिने अभियानका अवसरमा महानगय प्रह आयुक्तको कार्यालयले गरेको छलफलमा सहभागिले भाडाका सवा साधनमा महिला माथी हिंसा हुने गरेको गुनासो गर्दै त्यस्ता घटना रोक्न प्रहलाई आग्रह गरेका थिए ।

प्रकाशित मिति: २०६९ मंसिर २७ ०२:२९
 

 



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