Examples of sexual violence and harassment against women exist in almost all societies, with a variety of negative psychological effects. This article discusses different levels of sexual harassment, such as eve teasing. The experiences that adolescents in Bangladesh (12 to 18 years old) experience come from this study of adolescent sexual behavior conducted by young men and women. The study used qualitative approaches and a participatory approach, such as focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observations. The results show that despite being a taboo subject, unmarried adolescents are actively interested in sex, sexual arousal, and romance. This information is easily available from videos, mobile phone clips and pornographic magazines. Anthropological analysis shows that the repressed social system on the one hand, and the free flow of information on the other, provoke gender inequality. One way for teenagers to express their sexual feelings is through eve teasing, which they enjoy and can express their masculinity. Adolescents dislike it and are afraid of being convicted of inciting it. Thus, ‘Eve Teasing’ is a result of the inadequacy of sex-related socio-cultural norms and sexual and reproductive health-related information and services in Bangladesh. These data point to the importance of an integrated sex education, which will simply overcome the barriers to health and highlight gender-related ideals and help young people acquire skills of social-sexual interaction.
Keywords: Eve Teasing, Adolescents, Sexual Harassment, Gender Discrimination, Sex Education, Bangladesh.
Preliminary discussion
In 2009, a group of four Bangladeshi boys and four girls (aged 18 to 23) were trained as co-researchers in collaboration with two anthropologists. The task of this group was to find out the sexual experiences, needs, thoughts and realities of the adolescents. Gathering information about how they get sexual information and whether those needs and receipts match the sexual and reproductive health care opportunities.
Focus group discussions and interviews show that one of the most important topics that teens mention is the experience of being sexually harassed in public, commonly known as ‘eve teasing’ and is culturally constructed. ‘Eve teasing’ is an Indian subcontinental English word. The term is widely used in South Asia. When boys and men openly harass girls and women, boys block women on public transport, on the road and at work, shout at girls, laugh, threaten to kidnap and even touch girls unintentionally, she is known as 'Eve teasing' 1. In the folk culture of South Asia, 'Eve teasing' has been highlighted as a means of communication between men and women. For example, in many popular commercial Hindi / Bengali films, the protagonist or villain is seen to be engaged in agility as the beginning of a pre-marital love affair. Still keep making that joke. In the first interaction between the hero and the heroine, the protagonist will try to attract the heroine through shameless agile behavior and the heroine will object to this behavior. This behavior of the hero-heroine is also a reflection of the education on social gender relations. Influencing education, especially contributing to the determination of boys' interactions with girls (in this case Hindi films are the most popular means of entertainment for young people across the Indian subcontinent) is particularly dangerous. Thus the popular genre commercial film provides a model of male-female communication.
However, the use of the term 'eve teasing' does not mean much. Researcher 2 sees this as a strategy to normalize violence against women, which means that women are both the object of ridicule and the joke they deserve. The Indian women's movement was the first to challenge this cultural behavior and sentiment by unequivocally identifying it as sexual harassment.
Historically, eve teasing was first recorded by Indian women in the early post-colonial period, when they began to join the masses for employment and socialization. Women's participation in the garment industry and women's participation in NGO-initiated workforce such as health, education and other development activities began. Salary, forced child marriage and gender based violence. 5, 6
However, one study found that lately, women and girls have become more common in public places, and 49 percent of older women and 36 percent of young women feel safer in their own neighborhoods.5 In fact, the opposite is true. In Bangladesh, falling prey to 'eve teasing' while going to school and using public transport is considered to be one of the major reasons for dropping out of school and child marriage of girls.
In the mid-1990s, the feminist movement in India passed a new law on sexual harassment, which included the subject of eve teasing. Since 2010, eve teasing has been considered a crime in Bangladesh and by the state of Bangladesh. That is now a punishable offense. The issue of ‘eve teasing’ is growing so fast that the government is forced to decide to run a mobile court to try women for sexual harassment. According to the policy, anyone accused of sexual harassment can face a fine of up to Rs 6,000 (US ৮ 69) and up to one year in prison. The news is often published in the media when a person is caught and punished for this crime, especially if the incidents are violent. There are ongoing social movements to protest violence against women, especially eve teasing, such as music concerts.
In this article we have followed a specific definition of eve teasing, which is defined as sexual behavior where respect for the opposite person is lacking, which can be painful for the other party. In contrast to rape, eve teasing is a gray matter of sexual violence, which is comparatively less pronounced, occurring in a combination of sexual behavior or expression with the consent of the opposite party, which violates sexual individuality and which may be considered ‘normal’ in authoritarian socio-cultural norms.
According to local media reports, eve teasing is on the rise in Bangladesh, along with other forms of sexual harassment and violence, including kidnappings, acid attacks, murders, and suicides. Being. In 2010, there were repeated reports of sexual harassment, from which 26 girls / women committed suicide in Bangladesh and 8 others attempted suicide. It is reported that 90 percent of Bangladeshi girls between the ages of 10 and 18 have been victims of eve teasing. 16
The main topic of this article is how adolescents in Bangladesh (12 to 16 years old) are victims of eve teasing and what they mean by it and the attitude and interpretation of adolescents about eve teasing girls. In this article, we show that eve teasing stems from harmful socio-cultural norms related to sex and gender. The information and perceptions of sex education, government and non-government services and the promotion of adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights in Bangladesh will also be examined.
Research methodology
The co-researchers were selected from a group of co-trainers from the Family Planning Association of Bangladesh's (FPAB) youth program, who were active volunteers. All of them were involved in a project called 'Tara'. The study was conducted through a youth program of FPAB in Jessore, a city in the east-west region of Bangladesh. New researchers came from four such districts of Bangladesh (including Jessore) working in FPAB and were selected on the basis of their achievements and their incentives while they were co-trainers. They were all undergraduate students and unmarried. They are given a two-week intensive training on quality research skills and research plans and interview questionnaires are created to match them.
The research team, in collaboration with FPAB and the first author, conducted the following activities to collect qualitative information: 26 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 236 unmarried boys and girls; Detailed interviews with 6 healthcare providers, 11 adults, 15 girls and 16 boys, the 47; Two panels consisting of community leaders, parents, school teachers, health center individuals and FPAB members were discussed. There is also a youth-friendly service center, two sidewalks where peddlers sell local drugs for sexual problems, two public parks and two cyber cafes (which young people use as dating places). Adolescents from different socio-economic backgrounds in Jessore Municipality were selected as information providers and included: students of state and Islamic schools and colleges (madrasas) in urban areas, slum dwellers, orphanage adolescents, adolescent sex workers, youth friendly city centers and youth friendly service centers. Adolescents in rural areas. FGD is done separately with boys and girls and during this time they are divided into two groups of 12-15 year olds and 16-18 year olds.
These data are analyzed using open and axial coding methods. In addition, the anonymous question box of the youth center analyzes the content of local songs, magazines, comedy videos, CDs, movies and information downloaded on mobile phones that have been identified by teenagers and identified by teenagers as a source of sexual information. Research data was presented to community members and FPAB staff members and discussed with them. The purpose was: to get their assessment of the information collected, to verify the initial decisions and to make recommendations for the implementation of the project. The process and results are described in more detail in another article based on this research.19 The first author did the work of analyzing the final data and writing the report with the help of in-depth analytical resources of the new research team.
During the training and research process, novice researchers constantly gain experience and skills and learn how to do in-depth research. They have learned how to refrain from influencing the information of the informant through the selection of the question that has been asked to the informant, the way the question has been asked, the way the information has been interpreted. In order to reduce bias, they are asked to record their report immediately after the interview and after collecting daily information, report and section sessions are organized. These episodes also helped to discuss how to collect and interpret information and to reach consensus on initial decisions.
In the case of Bangladesh, talking about sex is an adventure for unmarried young men and women, the informants at FGD were ashamed or afraid to express their personal feelings and experiences, and in most cases did not speak for themselves, even talking about the experiences of their friends or relatives. This did not hinder the study, as we sought to find out more about the general type of sexual reality among adolescents. However, the information obtained from the FGD was systematic, so that as much information as possible was obtained from other sources. Towards the end of the study, based on the information obtained up to that time, eight perceptual incidents were prepared separately for boys and girls, which were presented to the visitors of the youth center and their views were taken on the subject (Details 19).
We have not been able to gather the views of rural illiterate youth on sexual issues, the type of rural commercial sex or the views of rural parents and religious leaders. In addition, not enough information has been explored about the experiences of orphaned and slum girls, which may have led to a more comprehensive understanding of the differences between these young people.
The format includes sexually explicit music and comedy videos. These are made by amateur actors unfamiliar with mainstream films and music, although they sometimes have pictures of popular singers or actors on their covers. They usually buy these cheap and readily available products and exchange them with each other. They keep them in a secret place at home, such as under a mattress or inside a book. Most of the girls had access to religious books. Some of the girls admitted to having access to other materials, but said they never bought them, only saw them from friends.
Humans are social creatures. In order to live in a society, every human being has to follow certain rules. Obeying the rules starts from the family, then from the social awareness. But education is also very important. Real education, values and awareness complement each other. Many families do not pay much attention to the moral education of their children. Subcultures, unawareness of parents and lack of strong family ties are the main reasons behind this. Due to the scarcity of these and lack of coordination in the society, children and adolescents are becoming accustomed to unwanted behavior. The boys of the rising age are not knowing how to assert their power and are getting into trouble by floating in the opposite current. As a result, the incidence of sexual harassment of girls is increasing. As a result of this, some of the girls are dropping out of school and some of them are choosing the path of suicide. It is important to find a way to prevent the matter with utmost importance.
It is common for a woman to make obscene remarks about her normal behavior or at work or at work, to intimidate, to call her by a perverted name, to throw something, to make a personal remark, to comment on merit, to make unwarranted jokes or satire on someone, to walk on the street. Obstructing, making obscene gestures, making gestures, without cigarette smoke, intentionally retreating, making obscene love offerings, making intentional songs, rhymes or poems, sending obscene messages, standing in the way, threatening not to respond to love, etc. The activity falls into sexual harassment, which is legally reprehensible.
Section 7 of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Ordinance on sexual harassment or harassment states: 'If a person voluntarily and indecently displays his or her body in a public place or on a public place, whether inside a house or not, a woman can see or Voluntarily harassing or obstructing a woman on a street or in a public place, or insulting or harassing a woman by using obscene language, obscene sounds, gestures or comments, is punishable by up to one year imprisonment or a fine of up to two thousand rupees or According to the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Act 2003, a person who touches the genitals or any other organ illegally and commits indecent exposure is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years but to a minimum of three years rigorous imprisonment and an additional fine. In addition, as per the directions of the High Court, 'Eve teasing' will also be considered as a sexual harassment. The mobile court can sentence a maximum of two years as punishment. Posting videos or pictures online to harass a woman can also be considered a cyber crime, punishable by at least seven years in prison and a fine.
Article 354 of the Penal Code of 180 states: "If a man attacks a woman with intent to destroy her modesty or knowingly violates her modesty, using force or criminal force, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years." Article 294 of 180 states: "If a person engages in obscenity in a public place or utters an obscene song, recitation or incoherent utterance in a public place or near it, he shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three months." Or be fined. '
Section 9 (b) of the Prevention of Violence against Women and Children Act 2000 states: "If a person attempts to rape a woman or a child, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years but not less than five years." According to Section 9 of the Prevention of Child Abuse Act 2000, if a man rapes a woman or a child, he will be sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional fine. If a woman or child dies after the rape, the person will be sentenced to life imprisonment and an additional fine of at least one lakh rupees.
Women or children should not be shyed away from any kind of harassment, they should take recourse to the law; Because resorting to the law means protesting such incidents and seeking legal redress. If someone is a victim of sexual harassment, they should go to the nearest police station and report it. Written complaints can also be made. If the harasser is a known person, his name and address should be mentioned if known. If a mobile court is conducted in the vicinity of an incident where someone is or is being sexually harassed, the mobile court should be notified immediately. There is a helpline under the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, number 109. Any complaint of sexual harassment can be made by calling this number. This helpline is open 24 hours a day. In addition, if you are a victim of sexual harassment, you can immediately call the National Emergency Service 999 to get police assistance.
Children, adolescents, school-college-university students, women workers in different fields of work, women employees, officials, lawyers, journalists, doctors and all levels of women are being sexually harassed. Women are also being sexually harassed in public transport. Family members can alert each other to stop sexual harassment. Teachers of educational institutions, colleagues in the workplace, the general public on the streets, law enforcement, wise courts, mobile courts, public representatives, journalists and people of different professions and classes can play a role in stopping sexual harassment. Print and electronic media can play an important role in creating and increasing awareness in this regard.
Sexual harassment
To prevent this, we have to build a social movement against sexual harassment. Some of the most important steps in preventing sexual harassment include discussing sexual harassment in educational institutions and classrooms and highlighting its negative aspects; Strict measures should be taken to prevent the spread of statements, advertisements, dramas, etc. in the media that encourage sexual ; Make law enforcement aware and effective; Everyone stands by the victim when sexual harassment occurs; Formation of sexual harassment prevention committees at local and national level and taking awareness activities etc.
In our society, women are still lagging behind in some cases, while others have been left behind due to patriarchal mentality. But no development of the society is possible without the development of women. Without the participation of women in the mainstream of development, the development of the family, society or the state will remain on paper. If women's rights are not protected, their normal development will be hampered by inferiority complex. Therefore, in addition to awareness to prevent violence against women, proper implementation of the law is also very important.
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Stay safe all.
great job 👍