Protests to raise voices against atrocities on women are needed but sex education at a young age and teaching children about equality, the right to consent and the need to understand boundaries will address the problem at its root, a panel discussed.

The group comprised psychiatrists, a lawyer, a teacher and police personnel. The topic — Can atrocities on women be wiped out and how?

The rape and murder of the 31-year-old junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9 prompted tens of thousands of people to take to the streets in Calcutta and far beyond.

For many women, it was not just about demanding justice for the doctor but breaking free from the patriarchal mindset that dominates the thinking of many men and women.

“Traditionally, women have been treated as properties of their husbands and societal norms expect them to submit themselves to their husbands. There has to be respect for women. Empathy must be instilled in individuals to combat such behaviour,” said Partha Chattopadhyay, founder-secretary of the NGO Salt Lake Institute for Personality Development and Value Education.

The NGO organised the interface among a cross-section of people.

On the protests following the RG Kar crime, Chattopadhyay said: “While protests are important to make one’s voice heard, it is important to address the problem at its root. Atrocities on women can be wiped out with education, awareness and a change in mindset. A mindset that respects the dignity of each individual and does not consider one gender superior to another.”

Psychiatrist Amarnath Mullik said sex education among children starts with the anatomy.

“Often adults, which includes parents and teachers, feel uneasy about broaching this topic with children. At a young age, three or four years old, a child has to be educated about body parts and their functions. Children should be able to differentiate between private parts and that they are not to be exposed in front of strangers,” said Mullik.

“Sex education is most critical at adolescence when there are hormonal changes. An adolescent has to be made aware that hormones should not hijack the brain. Sexual attraction or urges are natural but one has to know to control the impulses,” he said.

Mullik later said “misinterpretation of signals” sometimes leads to sexual harassment or even rape because the male partner misinterprets it as consent.

An officer from the Bidhannagar commissionerate said women often avoid reporting their cases to police out of fear of social repercussions and family constraints. “This has to be overcome,” the officer said.