A 38-year-old woman, formerly an app cab driver, walked over 2km on Saturday to raise her voice against sexual harassment.
While working the woman said she had to deal with unsolicited remarks from passengers, some of whom would sit beside her in a way that her hands would brush against theirs while driving.
The woman joined a rally that was organised to generate awareness on the prevention of sexual harassment in the workplace.
She was joined by hundreds of other women, many of whom have encountered such situations. “I was working on the streets and there were many men who would want to take advantage of my position. Women are subjected to such harassment and often they keep silent from fear or shame,” said the woman.
The public gathering and rally on Saturday was part of an international awareness programme to stop violence against women and girls from November 25 to December 10.
The fortnight-long awareness drive started with the public gathering and rally from CIT Road to Mullick Bazar, organised by Maitree Network, a collective in Bengal working around women’s rights.
Several organisations working for women’s rights and child rights like Swayam, Azad Foundation, Parichiti and Anjali, besides individuals, participated in the event.
Those participating said it had been 10 years since the Prevention of Sexual Harassment at Workplace (Posh) Act had come into effect but there were “many lacunae at ground-level implementation”.
“There are organisations that have an internal complaints committee but they are not active,” said Amrita Dasgupta, director, Swayam, a feminist organisation.
Dasgupta said it was difficult for women to complain because of lack of support. “A complaint often creates awkwardness in the workplace and there is also a backlash against women who are making a complaint.”
Unless women raise their voices, they won’t be heard was the leitmotif for many of the nearly 1,000 people who turned up for the walk.
“Women cannot keep relying on others to speak up for them,” said a young participant.