A LEGAL PERSPECTIVE

FROM ISSUE # 81 (September 2002) | IN THIS ISSUE
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The law does not specifically mention eve-teasing. Victims of eve-teasing and harassment feel the police are inaccessible. What do the police have to say about that? DSP Gita Upreti of the Crime Against Women & Child Investigation Division of the Police department was the perfect person to clarify things.

The Crime Against Women & Child Investigation Division, commonly known as the Women Cell, was set up in 1995 - 1996, after an indepth study on women and children related crimes. It goes beyond just investigating crimes by trying to address related social and psychological issues. After interacting with the victim, the needs are identified after which the cell networks with various other government and non-government organizations like hospitals, shelter homes and free legal aid agencies for a comprehensive solution.

The police, DSP Upreti, said are there to help any victim but a lot of offences still go unreported. The main reasons for that are problems of establishing offence, long procedures and general lack of awareness. People are either not aware that eve-teasing is a crime or consider it is too frivolous an issue to solicit help from the police.

Contrary to the usual picture of the police being rather high handed and dissuading, she says that if the victim does take the initiative to report the incident, action is taken. DSP Upreti cited a case where action was taken against a person harassing a woman over the phone despite the case being outside the purview of current laws.

Women now have legal and state support thanks to Women Cells operating in 16 districts, not including Kathmandu Valley and police headquarters. These cells are an alternative to reporting a case at a regular police station. These days, cases related to women and children are regularly transferred to the Women Cell.

On being asked to rate eve-teasing as an issue in a scale of 1 to 10, DSP Upreti gave it a 10. She said that all issues are important and should be equally rated. Eve-teasing, brushed off as insignificant, can be very damaging emotionally and psychologically.

The bottom line is that eve-teasing is a crime and we should treat it as one. If reports are lodged against offenders they will be punished. If you are harrassed again, remember you have an option. Take it. If you tease the next woman who passes by, you may not get away with it this time.