‘85pc of women face harassment in public places’

Some 85 per cent of women experience harassment routinely in various public places, especially on public transport, and even though there is a law in place to protect them, women are afraid to report such cases, making harassment a taboo subject in society.

This was stated by Professor Dr Khalida Ghaus, the Managing Director of Social Policy and Development Centre (SPDC) at a seminar titled “The Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace” held at the Ziauddin University on Wednesday.

The aim of the seminar was to create awareness regarding harassment faced by women and to take all possible effective measures to deter and put an end to the social evil. “Every woman has a story [of harassment] behind her. Some have the courage to tell it to the world and some are not confident enough to share it even with their family,” she said.

Dr Ghaus said there was a dire need to provide knowledge of the actual means and kinds of harassment to women and a need to increase the level of self-belief, optimism and confidence in them to communicate with men pragmatically and boldly, and to collectively work with them to break these stereotypes and strengthen their voices against harassment.

“The burden of self-esteem, respect and dignity that a woman is carrying on her shoulders is the main reason that she fails to confess how she is being exploited,” she added. Actress Sarwat Gillani urged women to speak louder for themselves because no one else was going to speak for their rights and issues.

“Harassers should be stopped at the first instance,” she said. “We should learn to say no.” Sarwat added that a law has been in place against sexual harassment at the workplace, making it a punishable crime, for the last 8 years but unfortunately, many people were are not even aware about it.

Social activist Advocate Zia Ahmed Awan, while speaking on the occasion, said that a large number of cases of harassment that he had received were mostly of women working as domestic helpers.

“You are not a good person if you are not helping others,” he said. “Let’s work together and raise our voice for the voiceless.” Psychologist Dr Atia Naqvi urged women to trust their judgment and feel confident to say it when they don’t feel comfortable in someone’s presence, while senior pathologist, Professor Dr Sirajuddaula Syed, that the society should encourage women to speak up for their rights.