Woman power hits back with 'girlcott'

'Fair' deal

Urban India is witnessing a gender revolution of sorts.

As much as one comes across news reports of rapes, molestation and crimes against women these days, the number of popular campaigns by ordinary women against such violence is also increasing. Gone are the days of silent protests, candle light marches and petitions to the government.

Nowadays, they come with fancy names, enlist thousands of supporters in a matter of hours and know exactly where to hit the administration so as to hurt the most.The latest in a long list of such movements is the ‘Gurgaon ‘Girlcott’ campaign, taking its cue from the word ‘boycott’. In the aftermath of the kidnap and gang-rape of a pub-worker in Gurgaon, a communications consultant came up with the idea of women staying away from restaurants, malls, pubs, salons etc. over the past weekend and zero shopping.

This, they believed would hurt the economy and wake the administration to ensure women’s safety. Before this, women had paraded in ‘bold’ clothes across cities as part of the ‘Slut walk’ campaign; girls had sent pink chaddis’ to right-wing activists; Blank noise  - a movement protesting eve-teasing drew substantial response and many others.

While some  were indigenous ideas, others originated abroad.Sociologists feel that this was bound to happen as women get more educated, venture out for work, and become increasingly aware of their rights. Renuka Singh, Professor of Sociology at JNU says, “This is a natural progression. First, women fought for social emancipation, then political emancipation (voting rights), followed by economic emancipation (right to work and equal pay), and now it is security at work.

The society may have allowed her to go out for work but the fact that she may have to stay out beyond evening, remains an ill-digested reality of our modernisation. As more women realise that a woman cannot be blamed for her own rape under any circumstance and the administration has to take responsibility to provide safety, they are getting increasingly vocal and aggressive.”The face of these protests is also changing over time.

Earlier, getting together just 100 women for a protest was an arduous task. Today groups are floated on Facebook and recruit volunteers in thousands, in moments. Brinda Karat, member of the CPI(M), and a veteran of many such protests, says, “The Jessica Lal murder case was a turning point. It is there, I feel, that people realised the power of public voice and media support. More recently, we have discovered the strength of social networking sites. Since then, we have not looked back; and I, as an activist wholeheartedly support this.”But then, do these campaigns actually make an impact or are these mere media creations and die down as soon as the spotlight moves away? Shailaja Chandra, former chief secretary to Delhi government, says, “The harsh truth is that women’s issues figure very low in the government’s priorities. You would have often seen them being clubbed somewhere at the bottom with SC/ST welfare concerns.

They are just not taken as seriously as say water, electricity and housing issues. At this point, these campaigns serve a very good purpose to bring these issues into limelight. When hundreds come out to protest on the streets against a rape or a molestation, it commands the government’s attention. It may not always bring about radical changes but they definitely have a symbolic value.”She adds, “However, most of these movements end up becoming one day wonders.

They need to be nurtured and sustained. Only then can you expect the authorities to be jolted enough to take action. It took women decades to get the right to work. One cannot expect to get the right to security at work with just a handful of movements lasting overnight.”