END Gender-Based Violence In Public Spaces

I had become used to facing harassment on the streets and the public bus—mostly catcalls, uncomfortable stares and sexually suggestive comments—but when a man suddenly grabbed her from behind, she said, “I froze.”

“For a second, I was shocked, but I was brave enough to confront the perpetrator in front of everyone,” Although it has been 4 years since that disturbing episode took place,  I still feels overwhelmed recalling it. “I feel that I will never participate in any crowded festivals,

The many girls and women dealing with various types of sexual violence in public spaces, from unwanted sexual remarks and touching. It happens on streets, public transportation, schools and workplaces, in public sanitation facilities, water and food distribution sites and parks.

To address women and girls’ safety in public spaces and mobility across community settings, Many orientation program under the Violence Against Women (VAW) Campaign in community .program conducted with the CBOs, youths in many times  .longstanding problems of sexual violence in public spaces were raised and discussed based on the participants’ own experiences.

most girls and women are reluctant to confront their attackers or report to the police due to the victim-blaming culture, which is deeply embedded in our society.All most girls and women frequently faces harassments on the public bus, she has neither confronted her attackers nor shared her experiences with her parents or family members.

in 2020, WOREC collected 600 cases of violence against women and girls in public spaces, out of which 170 cases were documented through national newspapers. Activists in Nepal believe that these numbers are just the tip of the iceberg since they estimate that many sexual harassment incidents in public space go unreported each year due to the fear of ‘victim-blaming’.

In recent time, although violence against women in private spaces is widely recognized as human rights violence, the government has still failed to acknowledge violence against girls and women in public areas. As a result, there is a significant gap in legislation on sexual harassment in public places, meaning there are no serious repercussions for the perpetrators to hold them accountable. patriarchy and toxic masculinity are the reasons behind the harassment culture and that everyone should work towards breaking the patriarchal mindsets of people to fight against sexual violence against girls and women in public spaces.

Exual violence against girls and women in public spaces. the harmful practices surrounding violence against girls and women in public spaces and ‘victim-blaming’ culture. Similarly, the awareness programs should also be implemented to make everyone realize how no person has the right to cross their boundaries and to ensure Right Over One’s Own Body

Thank you

shanti