Stop violence against women

We can preach all we want and argue and shout and all that. At the safe haven of our homes and offices. That will do a little to help the women who are in crisis. Whether it is domestic violence or eve teasing or exploitation at work place.

But what can we really do to stop such violence.

• If you see any eve teasing or harassing on the street, or bus or train immediately go to the help of girl/woman being teased. It does not matter whether you know that girl or not, what caste/community/language she is from. Today it is her, tomorrow it will be your daughter. 
• If you hear  a woman being abused in the neighborhood either by her husband or in-laws try to mediate. You may be snubbed by the perpetrators. But do not mind that. If it does not help, help her to go to her parents. 
• If you hear any ugly gossip about your colleague male or female, do not help in spreading it. Try to stop it. 
• Treat your daughters and sons as equal. Never, never tell your daughter "you are a girl. You should not do this or that". Teach her to be independent. Educate her how much ever you can and make sure she gets a decent job.
• Never stop your daughter from studying higher courses or working in a different city/country just because she is a girl. Just tell her to be careful, but confident. 
• When you marry off your daughter don't tell her "now that is your house. You have to adjust even if there some problems." Instead tell her that her parents are always there for her if she has any problem and she is always welcome.
• Teach you son to respect girls and women. Never take lightly if he makes bad remarks on his classmates or any other girl or woman. Convince him how his remarks will hurt the woman. 
• If you are a man, show by example how to respect women. Never shout at your wife. Never try to belittle her. And never make any vulgar comments on other women in front of your children. 

But there are other aspects to this violence and rape. Most important one is media. What will happen to an unmarried man of 30, who finds it very difficult to get married, but sees semi-clad women dancing suggestively on TV? Item songs are vulgar and they really insult every woman. And they turn men into beasts. If the movies should have item songs, at least they can be banned from television at least.

And there is also the problem because of falling sex ratio. In most of Indian states, male to female ratio is falling. This has made marriage a mirage for grooms who are not in good jobs. I am not saying such men will try to grope women. But marriage is an essential thing for a healthy society. Hence at least we can stop the situation from worsening by stopping female foeticide. And by complaining about the doctors who will help in the abortion of female foetus.

Do not say what can I do? Join the movement in stopping violence against women in http://www.bellbajao.org/