Introduction

An Indian woman traditionally had four-fold status-role sequences. These were her Role as a daughter,
wife, housewife (homemaker), and mother. The woman, whose Status and role traditionally was well
defined and almost fixed in the society, is now experiencing far-reaching changes (Kiran, 2015). There
have been innumerable

debates about gender in India over the years. Much of it includes women’s positing

in society, their education, health, economic position, gender equality etc. What one

can conclude from such discussions is that women have always held a certain

paradoxical position (Banerjee, 2012). One of the major social problems in Indian

society is the inferior position embedded to women. Generally, they do not enjoy

equal status and rights, as they have to do. It would be appropriate to analyze the

position which Indian women occupy today, by comparing it to the times 70 years

ago when the country got its independence. Rights have been the prime concerns in

Indian thinking right from the days of Independence. Accordingly, the country’s

concern in safeguarding the rights and privileges of women found its best

expression in the Constitution of India Rights related to empowerment of women

are indicated below:

• Article 14 confers equal rights and opportunities on men and women in the

political, economic and social spheres.

• Article 51(A) (e) imposes a fundamental duty on every citizen to renounce

the practices derogatory to the dignity of women. Stating: “to promote

harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of

India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities;

to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women”, etc.

The structure of Indian society has always been male dominated. But in the modern

era, women tried to break the centuries of shackles by venturing into male

dominated areas. Though, we have grown by leaps and bounds yet the most basic

structure of society is showing no signs of improvement.A thorough look on daily

newspapers shows us so many incidents of gender inequality (Eliminate Gender

Inequality, 2017). The above mentioned rights are merely shown on pages but the
worth of them is not realized yet that one should agree. We know that crimes

against women are at increasing trend. Out of these crimes, eve-teasing is a day-today problem faced
by many girls and women in Indian society. Eve-teasing affects

both the physical and mental health of its victims (Mirsky&North, 2003; Bartlett &

Rhode, 2006; Akhtar, 2013; Gadekar, 2016; Talboys, et al. (2017)). A study

conducted by Akhtar (2013) has described eve-teasing as the most ubiquitous and

insidious violence against women.

a) Eve-Teasing

A thorough look at the everyday newspapers shows the happening of too many

incidents against women in India. As cited by Talboys (2017), eve-teasing is a

euphemism in South Asia for a common form of sexual harassment that typically

occurs in public places (also cited in Akhtar, 2013; Baxi, 2001; Dhillon & Bakaya,

2014; Kuruvilla & Suhara, 2014; Gadekar, 2016). Specific examples include

making passes, obscene gestures, whistling, stalking, staring, pinching, fondling, and rubbing against
women (Dhillon & Bakaya, 2014; Dobash & Dobash, 1998;

Fairchild & Rudman, 2008). Other forms of harassments like making vulgar

comments, indecent proposals, unwelcome gestures with hands, legs, fingers or

other organs, unwelcome verbal or non-verbal behavior, physical conduct or display

of objects or pictures and comments about a woman’s looks or body can also be

considered as eve-teasing (Kuruvilla & Suhara, 2014). The eve-teasing is a massive

problem, but not limited only to, many metropolitan cities of India. A large

percentage of Indian women have faced or are facing this menace at many places,

whether it is a public transport system or public places or shopping malls or

multiplexes, women find themselves vulnerable to the threat of eve-teasing

everywhere. Thus, eve-teasing is a complex problem and it requires more attention

than what it has actually got.

Eve-teasing, is an offence that affects the lives of girls and women. Each girl and

woman would have undergone such an experience in her lifetime. Many times it

goes beyond limits and hurts the girls and women who are teased. In the EveTeasing Act 1994, the term
Eve-teasing has been used to refer any indecent conduct
or act by a man which causes or is likely to cause intimidation, fear, shame, or

embarrassment to women including abusing or causing hurt or nuisance to assault;

use of force on a women(Shodhganga.inflibnet,n.d.).

Though, it is considered as part of day-to-day life and not taken as a matter of

victimization by youths, and if it doesn’t yield immediate physical or psychological

effects among some girls/women, still eve-teasing is a very serious issue. In

addition, several instances of eve-teasing have been followed by more violent

assaults such as rape and murder. Women have substantiated themselves equivalent

to men in all spheres of the globe. Yet, at regular intervals a woman is experiencing

any one form of sexual victimization in parts of our nation. This situation always

put a woman under threat in social condition. Among gender based crimes, eveteasing is also a serious
issue which is experienced by most of the girls/women and

gone unreported as dark figures of crime. (Eve-teasing – India Women Welfare

Foundation, 2009)

b) Sexual Harassment

Anti-sexual violence organization RAINN in its online mentioned that Sexual

harassment includes unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and

other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature in the workplace or learning

environment, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

(EEOC). Sexual harassment does not always have to be specifically about sexual

behavior or directed at a specific person (Sexual Harassment, n.d.). As observed by

Justice Arjit Pasayat, "While a murderer destroys the physical frame of the victim, a

rapist degrades and defiles the soul of a helpless female (Srivastava, 2012)". Indian

law explains ‘sexual harassment’ includes such unwelcome sexually determined behaviour (Whether
directly or by implication) as: a) Physical contact and

advances; b) a demand or request for sexual favours; c) sexually coloured remarks;

d) showing pornography; e) any other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal

conduct of sexual nature.

Eve-Teasing: A Form of Crime against Women

become victims of all general crimes such as ‘Murder’, ‘Hurt’, ‘Robbery’,

‘Cheating’,’ Theft’ etc., only the crimes which are directed specifically against

women are characterized as “Crimes against Women”. Among a variety of crimes

against women, this chapter has its basic focus on a typical and universal form of

crime against women “Eve-teasing”. As cited by Talboys, et al. (2017) that day-today threat of eve-
teasing in South Asia is significant enough to curb women and

girls’ participation in public, including school and work, resulting in untold

opportunity costs for women and society (Crouch, 2010; Dhillon & Bakaya, 2014).

Eve-Teasing in Indian Penal Code (IPC)

Actually, in Indian Penal Code, the word ‘eve-teasing’ does not exist (Faizal, 2011;

Talboys, et al. (2017)). Eve-teasing is an attitude, a mindset, a set of behaviors that

is construed as an insult and an act of humiliation of the female sex. However,

victims of eve-teasing could take remedy through certain sections of the IPC.

Section 354: Assault or Criminal Force to Woman with Intent to Outrage Her

Modesty

Whoever assaults or uses criminal force to any woman, intending to outrage or

knowing it to be likely that he will thereby outrage her modesty, shall be punished

with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years,

or with fine, or with both. Punishment: Imprisonment for 2 years, or fine, or bothOffence is Cognizable
—Bailable—Triable by any Magistrate—Noncompoundable.

Section 509: Word, Gesture or act intended to Insult the Modesty of a Woman

Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes

any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound

shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or

intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple

imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

Section 294: Obscene Acts and Songs

Whoever, to the annoyance of others–Does any obscene act in any public place, or
Sings, recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public

place, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which

may extend to three months, with fine , or with both.

In his article, Faizal clarified that these sections make gestures or acts intended to

insult the modesty of a woman or acts intrude upon her privacy a, crime, but it isvery difficult to exploit
these provisions to deal with various expressions of sexual

harassment. The punishment for eve-teasing in India under these legal provisions

and the procedural laws are complex and the type of proof that is required make it

very difficult to get the culprit punished (Faizal, 2011).

Relevant Statistics from ‘Crime in India’ Report

a) Crimes against Women: A total of 3, 27,394 cases of crime against women

(both under various sections of IPC and Special & Local Laws) were reported in the

Country during the year 2015. The crime rate under crimes against women was

Reported as 53.9 in 2015. The cases of crimes against women during the year 2015

Have decreased by 3.1 percent over the year 2014 and increased by 43.2 percent

Over the year 2011.

b) Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty: Incidents of assault

Percent (from 82,235 cases in 2014 to 82,422 cases in 2015) during 2015 over the

Previous year. Maharashtra (11,713 cases) has reported the highest number of such

Crimes followed by Madhya Pradesh (8,049 cases) and Uttar Pradesh (7,885 cases).

Delhi UT has reported the highest crime rate of assault on women with intent to

Outrage her modesty cases (57.8) compared to the national average of 13.6. A total

Of 82,800 victims were reported under 82,422 cases of assault on woman with intent

To outrage her modesty cases in the country during the year 2015.

Out of 82,422 cases of assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty, 24,041

Cases were registered under sexual harassment (sec. 354A IPC) during 2015. Out of

82,422 cases of assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty, a total of

8,613 cases were registered under assault or use of criminal force to women with

Intent to disrobe (section 354B IPC).

c) Insult to the Modesty of Women: The incidents of insult to the modesty of

Women have decreased by 10.8 percent during 2015 over the previous year (9,735
Cases). Out of 8,685 cases of insult to the modesty of women, 119 such cases

Occurred at office premises, 714 such cases at other places related to work, 315 such

Cases in public transports and 7,537 such cases at other places during 2015. Most of

The cases of insult to the modesty of women at office premises were reported in

Delhi (36 cases) and Telangana (32 cases). Telangana (179 cases) followed by

Maharashtra (28 cases) and Andhra Pradesh (24 cases) have reported maximum

Incidents of insult to the modesty of women in public transport during 2015

(National Crime Records Bureau-NCRB, 2015)

Garima Helpline: A Responsive Mechanism Introduced to Women Victims in

Rajasthan

a) A total of 4,813 cases of assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty

Was registered in Rajasthan during the year 2015, which showing a 19.55 decrease

When comparing to the previous year 2014. Only 9 cases of insulting the modesty ofwomen were
registered in the year 2015 out of which 6 were from Jodhpur rural

(Crime in Rajasthan 2015). As proven through the literatures on ‘victimization

More.

b) The list of cases is never ending though Rajasthan government has taken a

Positive step to reduce the level of crime against women by introducing helpline in

Jaipur called “Garima” where the affected women can complain.

The helpline functions round-the-clock where the personnel in the control room

Works in different shifts and make possible interventions, responding to the calls of

The victims. Until a caller wishes, victim’s identity shall not be disclosed. After

Getting the complaint the authorities instruct to the police station officers concerned

For suitable intervention to help the women victims. For a long time, the team had

Been discussing to find a result oriented strategy to facilitate the girls and working

Women to save them from eve-teasing and molestation. The team continues to

Follow up with the complaints and the district collector would personally monitor

How the system is working and solving the problems of victims. The callers/victims
Are allowed to lodge complaints through sending SMS on the number 7891091111

To avoid delay in reporting. Email has also been created as

[email protected] where the girls and working women facing any kind of

Harassment at respective colleges, coaching institutes or at workplace can register

Their complaints (Times of India, 2 January 2013; Lodha, 2013). But the reality is

Many girls are unaware this initiative.

Statement of the Problem

The total incidences of assault on women with intent to outrage her modesty in

Rajasthan are 5999 and 4813 in the years 2014 and 2015 respectively (Crime in

Rajasthan, 2015). Though this is an official statistic, many more incidences are

Actually go unreported as dark figures of crime. Thus, eve-teasing is something that

A woman has to contend with every day in her social life. Although eve-teasing is a

Predominant social evil, this issue is not completely eradicated which multiplies

Victims more. Hence, a Victimological approach on studying eve-teasing has been

Proposed. The secondary goals of the study constitute some other aspects too, such
As: i) creating awareness about teasing/harassment among young females, ii)

Generating a feel on the fact that that eve- teasing is not a fun game of males, it is

Indeed a severe crime, iii) Understanding a wide-range of perceptions of female

Students on the subject of eve –teasing and iv) Increasing the reporting behavior of

Female students about their victimization of all kind.

Review of Literature

The literatures reviewed in this chapter focused more on understanding the

Phenomena, though very few are discussed below, depict a picture on the existence

Of eve-teasing or sexual harassment of women, its impact on the victims and other

Relevant matters. There are many such incidences of eve-teasing, also in the name of

Sexual harassment of women, got aggravated as still unforgettable misdeeds in India

From the death of Sarika Shah in Chennai in the year 1998 (Sangameswaran, 2008)

To the murder of a young medical student in national capital New Delhi in the year

2016. This sort of victimization still prevails in various concerns of our country.

Panas Institute in its report on ‘Beyond Victims and Villians’ written by Mirsky &
North (2003) cited that a student may avoid class or school, not want to talk in

Class, have difficulty concentrating, lose trust in school officials, become isolated,

Have a lower academic attainment or drop out of education, as consequences of

Sexual violence, harassment and coercion. This report also mentioned a very old

Research finding by Gender study group at Delhi University as ’91.7 percent of

More than 100 women hostellers interviewed reported facing sexual harassment on

Campus roads on an everyday basis, usually from non-members of the university

Campus. 45 percent of women said that sexual harassment on campus affected their

Personal or academic development’. In a study conducted in Bangladesh by

Akther(2013) found that 67 percent respondents experienced frequent eve-teasing

And 33 percent said that eve-teasing is rarely occurred to them. 58 percent said that

Young men are perpetrators of eve-teasing, 33 percent said about middle aged

Person, 9 percent said about old aged person (Devi & Jasrotia, 2013). According to

A research conducted on “Eve -Teasing in The Panjab University Campus: A Study

Percent of the students’ opinion and nearly 46 percent were victimized by it. 86

Percent of the students told that eve-teasing incidences irritated them. Highest

Number of the respondents 38.18 percent expressed that eve teasers used indecent

Gestures whereas 29.09 percent responded that eve teasers use vulgar language.

Another commonly indulged eve-teasing has been hooting 25.45 percent. 52.72

Percent of the respondents viewed that eve-teasing was mostly indulged by the

Outsiders in the university campus whereas 29.09 percent of the respondents stated

That eve-teasing was generally done by the residents of the campus. In their research

In Srinagar, Bashir & Kurshid (2013) found that that 40 percent of their respondents

Are of the view that due to lack of parental care youth indulge in such activities as

Eve-teasing, molestations, rapes etc, 50 percent said peer group is responsible for

Inculcating bad habits, as it is due to bad company youth get addicted to antisocial

Crimes like drinking of alcohol, drug addiction which are the root causes of such

Issues in our society. 50 percent respondents perceived that eve-teasing is the

Respondents said eve-teasing is in form of verbal abuse, 10 percent said that it is

Physical abuse, 40 percent of the respondents are of the view that eve-teasing is the

Mental abuse as it disturbs the whole psyche of the women. 40 percent of the people

Believed that eve-teasing can be curbed by providing moral education in schools

/colleges (Gadekar, 2016). The research studies on ‘Eve-teasing and its

Psychosocial influence among the Adolescent Girls’ concluded that girls are facing the eve-teasing
mostly on street, bus stand and some time in college. The girls from

The rural area have to spend more time at bus stands, streets and college. Thus, in

Public places where girls have to spend more time while going to school and college

Are not secured. The forms of victimization are whistling, using abusive words and

Sometime calling them by different names. The respondents in the study felt that the

Reasons behind eve-teasing are just time pass, frustration and cultural dominance.

The cultural dominance of male in the society motivates them for the teasing. Study

Described that lack of fear of punishment motivates the teasers’ behaviour. 63.7
Percent reported at least one experience of unwanted touch by their harasser in their

Life.

Insecure feeling (26.7 percent), thinking to drop-out from education (53.3 percent),

Persistent fear (26.7 percent), depression (20.0 percent), and suicidal thoughts (63.7

Percent) were the various psychological impacts to the victims. Kuruvilla & Sahara

(2014) in their empirical research work on ‘Response Patterns of Girls Students on

Eve-teasing’ found that 9 out of every 10 respondents were well aware about what

Constitute eve-teasing, while half of them were unknown about the kind of

Punishments to the perpetrators.

The study further revealed that almost all women students were against a general

Victim blaming that the dressing style and behavior of women are causes for eveteasing, while almost
100 percent of the sample agreed that lack of respect to

Women is the major cause for eve-teasing. While 92 percent of the sample believed

Lack of severe punishment of offenders as a reason for increasing trend, 90 percent

Considered negative influence of media and pornography in movies as the major

While half of the sample has an opinion that they will respond directly to the

Criminal, the other half conveyed that they will make a complaint to the authority.

90 percent of the sample agreed that they will express an assertive ‘no’ to the

Offender if they happen to face an attempt of eve-teasing. Thus, a considerable

Amount of micro and macro level studies are undertaken in national and

International level.

However, studies on victimological perspectives are not much growing in the speed

It actually requires because victimological studies focus on the victims’ remedy for

Their suffering.

While the euphemism ‘eve-teasing’ (Akhtar, 2013; Talboys, 2017) has been used

Mostly in South Asian countries for such victimization, wherein there are other

Terms like sexual harassment, used in other countries to mean eve-teasing.

Objectives
The researchers conducted a Victimological perspective study among girls students

Of Higher Education Institutions from Jodhpur and Jaipur with the following

Objectives:

a) To know how girl students, understand the concept of “Eve-teasing”

b) To find out the magnitude (which includes frequency, forms of eve-teasing

Etc) of victimization among the respondents

c) To understand the reaction of respondents who have faced victimizationd) To assess the various
impacts of Eve-teasing among the victims
d)
e) E) To elucidate the perceptions of the girl students of higher education towards
f)
g) Eve-teasing
h)
i) Methodology
j)
k) The methodology employed for the present study has been indicated below:
l)
m) A) Locale of the study: ‘Jaipur and Jodhpur’-Two major cities of Rajasthan
n)
o) Were included for the study.
p)
q) B) Population of the study: Female Students of Higher Education
r)
s) Institutions in Jaipur and Jodhpur
t)
u) C) Sample of the study: A female student of Higher Education Institutions
v)
w) In Jaipur and Jodhpur
x)
y) D) Sample Size: 160 samples (80 Female Students each from the Higher
z)
aa) Education Institutions in Jaipur and Jodhpur)
bb)
cc) E) Sampling process: The sampling procedure adopted for this study was
dd)
ee) Multi-stage sampling. In this research, sampling was done at three
ff)
gg) Different levels to choose its samples.
hh)
ii) At the very first level, two major cities of Rajasthan were selected through
jj)
kk) Convenience sampling.
ll)
mm) The selected cities are Jaipur and Jodhpur. In the second level, 2
nn)
oo) Government colleges,2 private colleges,2 government universities & 2
pp)
qq) Private University were selected randomly from each city.
rr)
ss) At third level, 10 samples were selected from the each chosen institution
tt)
uu) Of the two cities through Systematic Sampling method.
vv)
ww) F) Operational definition: Victims refers the respondents who faced at least
xx)
yy) One form of eve-teasing. Victimization refers any form of eve-teasing
zz)
aaa) Faced by the study respondents.
bbb)
ccc)G) Data collection: Data collected for present study was primary in nature
ddd)
eee) That leads to an empirical study, wherein the reference period of the
fff)
ggg) Survey is January-April 2016.
hhh)
iii) H) Data Collection Instrument: Data was collected through a structured
jjj)
kkk) “Interview Schedule” which consists of varied forms of items which are
lll)
mmm) All related to the objectives giving wider understanding about the present
nnn)
ooo) Research.