Women feel unsafe in night shifts, want employers to ensure safety

In Delhi, 56 per cent of women working night shifts in BPO’s, media organisations, IT departments of various firms, aviation sector, hospitals, and others feel unsafe, said a survey.

The attrition rate amongst females has been high in these sectors, added the survey.
Women expect their employers to make the security arrangements.

Over 2,000 women were surveyed, and 86 per cent of women working during night face commuting problems as the companies do not provide safe travel arrangements.

Women working in Delhi and the national capital region, Mumbai, Kolkata and Pune face many commuting problems, whereas in Hyderabad and Ludhiana they face comparatively fewer problems.

According to the ASSOCHAM survey, 48 per cent of women in Bangalore, 34 per cent in Hyderabad, 28 per cent in Chennai and 26 per cent in Mumbai reported feeling unsafe while working during night.

In leather and garment industrues, 35 and 22 per cent women said they are not safe at night.

Only 42 per cent of women admitted that better pay package is an attraction for working during night while rest said they had no other choice.

Many respondents working in mills said they have to work during night because this means the machines are run to their full capacity.

The survey report recommended that companies should have an internal code to ensure security of women employees, government should make it mandatory for companies to install global positioning systems in cabs and there should be CCTV surveillance.