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| Policewomen on high risk, face sexual abuse; many tend to end their lives | | | Bashir Assad
srinagar, Aug 27: It may or may not be true elsewhere, but true it is that women police, in Jammu and Kashmir, have encountered enormous difficulties, primarily as a result of the negative attitudes of the men, sexual harassment, emotional blackmailing, physical barriers and discrimination.
No doubt, almost all of the past research on women police has focused on the capabilities of women to perform police work; virtually all conclude that women, indeed, do have such ability. This capacity includes physical as well as mental and emotional fitness. But there is hardly any research on enormous difficulties, women in khaki face.
Only in the month of August two women constables of IRP 15th Bn ( the only women battalion of the State), tried to end their lives and the third one missing since August 1.
There is only 1 battalion in armed police comprising on about 690 girls with 230 from Kashmir and the rest from Jammu division. Police top- brass in Jammu and Kashmir has poked its nose in every affair, some times turning political and diplomatic but they never reviewed the functioning of the women battalion nor they ever pondered on the extreme conditions the women constables were working in.
Sources, told Early Times that unnecessary harassment, sexual exploitation and emotional blackmailing was ruling the roost in the women battalion. Though the commandant of the battalion Nisha Nathial was herself a woman but her attitude towards her subordinate women force is totally irrational, inhuman and barbaric. One Women constable Nidhi Bala tried to end her life earlier this month by cutting her vein, however, the commandant without initializing an enquiry into the circumstances that compelled the lady constable to take extreme step or registering a case in the police station concerned, sanctioned leave in favour of the lady to hush-up the case.
Now, a couple of days one more lady constable namely Bandra Bala also tried to commit suicide, however, she was rescued by her colleagues. When the issue was brought into the notice of police higher ups, the commandant wrote a note wherein she somehow tried to brush the grave issue under the carpet. Though reports suggest that Bandra was also sent on leave without registering case, the commandant, fearing reprisal, has sought sanction of leave from the armed headquarters days after the constable was sent home.
Astoundingly one more lady constable Jyoti Devi of the same battalion is missing from August 3. Sources attribute this unfortunate trend to the unnecessary harassment, sexual abuse and extreme work condition.
Many people have been voicing concern over sexual exploitation of policewomen and many have been even suggesting creation of one more battalion so that recruits from Jammu are adjusted in Jammu based battalion and ladies from Kashmir division are absorbed in Srinagar stationed battalion. This according to them can go a long way in protecting the policewomen from sexual exploitation and abuses and can do away with the sense of insecurity looming large on women force from either region.
Many women were turning away from careers in police department because of the hostile work environment.
Apart from dealing with long and erratic working hours and the umpteen queries, policewomen face the additional problem of having to deal with insufficient changing rooms and toilet facilities.
Besides having to be on patrolling for hours together, the women had to go all the way to the battalion headquarters to change. |
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