JOIN USGo home straight, cops advise Delhi girls
As an awareness drive for women’s safety in the capital, south Delhi police have put up an advisory in the form of posters outside various colleges, institutes and schools advising them to take steps to ensure their own safety in the city.
Chief minister Sheila Dikshit, however, objected over a point in the advisory that girls should go straight home from schools and colleges.
The poster had separate ‘DOs and DON'Ts sections for women and girls. It has sections for the women and girls travelling in buses.
The advisory suggested that the female student should inculcate self confidence, they should call on 100 if they suspect anything wrong, always inform parents where they are going, not to share anything with any stranger and join self defence courses.
Police have even advised women not to take shortcuts and walk on roads which are well-lit.
They have also been asked to carry their mobile phones every time they venture out of their houses and to keep a note inside bags of the their address and contact number.
Delhi Police also suggested them not to board empty buses and adhere to the rule of ‘going home directly after school or college’.
But this initiative has drawn flak from various corners of the society with many questioning who is responsible to provide a safe environment to live here. Dikshit raised question over the ‘girls should go home directly after school or college.’
“I don’t agree with any advisory given by anyone. One must have confidence of security to venture out in the city at any time. I got out and I must not have any problem,” she said in an interview to a news channel.
‘Help those in need’
She also said whenever people find anyone in distress, one must provide a helping hand and not take undue advantages.
Reacting to the advisory, Shreya Mishra, a student of Lady Shri Ram College for Women said, “It’s too late for Delhi Police to wake up now and issue advisories. Still at least this shows they are taking some responsibility for providing safety. The advice about going home after school will not be taken well by everyone as school in Delhi includes higher classes like 10, 11, 12th. Students of these classes are old enough to be preached around.”