TITLE: NATIONAL DEBATES – EVE TEASING |

INTRODUCTION:
HYPOTHESIS: Eve – teasing cases may have a drop if the laws are made stronger.
In the case of keenan-reuben , the accused were initially just convicted for 14days and then later 3 convicts were arrested under IPC sections 302 (murder), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons) and 434 (mischief). I believe that the section 354 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code must be made stronger. At present offences such as eve teasing and sexual harassment are bailable. Either we should make the offence as non – bailable or the victim should be given the right to treat the accused in whichever way they wish.
Eve-teasing has a sociological aspect to it and hence it has to be content analysis
Target – 17-30 years
Angle – Sociological
Gender – Male and Female
Issue – Only the keenan-reuben case

HISTORY AND BACKGROUND :
On 23rd October 2011, group of cricket fans came together to enjoy a match on a big screen, have dinner at Amboli Kitchen and Bar, eat pan and have fun. What followed didn’t quite work out that way.
Dinner done, as they were at the paan shop, a drunk man stumbled against one of the girls. Thinking that this is your average garden variety drunk, one of the men in the group, Avinash Bali, slapped him. Got into a verbal spat, another friend, Reuben Fernandes, hit him too. This man had two murder cases pending against him, and he was a barber and roaming around scot free.
He was accompanied by a few other men. Angry and wanting revenge, he swore he’d be back, and the group dismissed him. Shaken over what happened, but not expecting trouble, they continued to stand there. Meanwhile, said man returned with a group of people in three rickshaws – thirteen, many said – and his original companions. They were armed with swords and knives. Keenan and Reuben tried to reason with them while the others got the girls out of the way to safety. Keenan Santos was stabbed viciously, and his intestines spilled out. As Bejnamin tried to get the girls into the restaurant, some of the thugs followed them. Reuben Fernandes got in their way and was viciously stabbed too. As onlookers watched in shock, Avinash Bali hurled a nearby ladder at them and pulled Keenan and Reuben into the restaurant. The thugs did not follow them into the restaurant, and left.
Still without assistance, Avinash and Benjamin struggled to get Keenan and Reuben to the hospital on time.
Keenan’s girlfriend informed his parents, who arrived just in time to watch him die 20 minutes after being admitted .
The police arrested 21 people in connection with the murder and produced them in court.

ABOUT MY TOPIC:
In the Keenan – Reuben case my topic is basically about how there should be stringent laws in connection with eve teasing and sexual harassment . According to me that sections 354 and 509 of the Indian Penal Code should be made stronger. At present, offences such as eve-teasing and sexual harassment are bailable. This is one of the major reasons why offenders soon turn out to be habitual offenders. In the case of Reuben and Keenan, the offenders went to the extent of killing those who opposed them. So , I guess eve-teasing should be declared a non-bailable offence.”
Initially , the police did manage to arrest the four main accused, who were then booked under IPC sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).
It was only after the media pressure that all the 21 people who were part of the salvage killing were arrested. Even after the immediate arrest of the main accused, the question of justice being delivered still remains.
The case started with that of eve-teasing, however, none of the accused have been booked under charges of the same. India, having the bulkiest constitution and one the most detailed-interpreted law, there is no provision clearly stating eve-teasing as crime in India.
We have over 1000’s of sections explaining various acts for entertainment, tax property etc., but not even one section stating eve-teasing which is a serious menace in our society. However, Section 298 (A) and (B) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sentences a man found guilty of making a girl or woman the target of obscene gestures, remarks, songs or recitation to a maximum jail sentence of three months. Section 292 of the IPC clearly spells out that showing pornographic or obscene pictures, books or slips to a woman or girl draws a fine of Rs. 2000 with two years of rigorous imprisonment for the first offender. For a crime as heinous as eve-teasing, which can leave a psychological scar in a victim’s mind, a minimum of 6 months sentence behind the bars should be a must, without eve-teasing being a bailable offence, which it currently is.
India and the youth – we need a wake up to the death of Keenan and Rueben, and realize that it is worse than we thought.

LITERATURE REVIEW: TOPIC | DETAIL | REFERENCE | Main Event | The case of eve – teasing and how Keenan – Reuben saved the girls and did not fear the goons | DNA , October 20 | Search Operation in the locality | To track down the accused there was a search operation by the police in which the nabbed Rana , the main accused | Mumbai Mirror | Reuben died | Reuben underwent three surgeries to repair damage and minimize internal bleeding. However, he finally died on the 31st of October 2011 | Indian Express | Other accused arrested | The other 17 accused arrested for rioting | Mid-day | Laws | The laws under which the accused arrested were IPC sections 302 (murder), 324 (causing hurt by dangerous weapons) and 434 (mischief) | Times of India | | | |

QUESTIONNAIRE:
Please fill in the following information about yourself:
Sex:
Age:
Occupation:
Area where you reside :
(Tick all applicable)
1. What kind(s) of harassment / eve teasing have you faced?
Verbal (comments, whistling etc.)
Physical (touching, feeling up etc.)
Visual (staring, leering, gesticulating etc.) 2. Have you been harassed / eve teased by men in a public space (such as market, bus stop, roadside, in the bus/metro, cinema hall etc) in the last one year?
Yes
No
3. In your experience, harassment/ eve teasing is done by
Individual
Group
Both
4. Have you ever reacted/ taken action when someone has harassed/eve teased you? If yes , then how ?
Yes
No
5. Has anyone ever helped you when you were being harassed?if yes , how?
Yes
No
6. Have you ever helped anyone being harassed?
If yes , how ?
If no, then why not ?
7. Do you know that there are laws against street harassment/ eve teasing?
Yes
No
8.do you take eve teasing seriously ?
Yes
No
9. If you could make a law for eve – teasing what would It be ?
10.What do you think should be done to stop eve teasing ?
11.Why do u think has eve – teasing evolved ?
Psychological problems and lack of lack of Counseling Centers to cure eve teasers

Bad intentions such as revenge,ego,high altitude of sexual desire etc.

Passiveness of society people to initiate strict actions and punishment towards eve teasers.

12.What do u think are the causes of eve teasing ?
Illiteracy
Women degradation shown in films
Lack of moral values
Unemployment
13.Do you know about the keenan – reuben case ?
Yes
No
14.Do you think that if stringent laws are made eve – teasing can be curbed ?
Yes
No
15.do you think that somewhere down the line even the police is at fault ?
Yes
No
16. If another story comes up , just like , keenan – reuben case , how will you react ?
17. What is the one word that comes to your mind when the word ‘ eve teasing or sexual harassment ‘ is used ?
18. Is eve teasing and stalking similar ?
Yes
No
If no , then how do they differ ?
19 .Do you think , seminars in schools informing about eve-teasing will help?
Yes
No
20.Can you suggest measures to enhance the safety on women ?
21. Reason for unsafe condition of women?
Lack of social protection Lack of gender sensitivity Inadequate functioning of police and private security agenciess
Approach of men: Women as sex object
Women’s ignorance Portrayal of women in media and television
High rate of male migration from neighboring states
Please mention any others

22. What are the characteristics of places where you feel safe?
Areas with good lighting
Proper signage with symbols and maps
Where there is no “escape routes” for the offender to disappear
Availability of assistance like -phone booths with emergency numbers
Supervised by police or security staff
Lots of people around
Feelings of community and being part of the “local neighbourhood” Being familiar with an area and being close to home, knowing people in the street and being known by them Having a quiet street away from pubs and clubs
23.In cases of eve – teasing who are you ?
Mute spectator
Someone who takes a action
24.Do you think womens clothing and appearance plays a major role in eve – teasing ?
25.For men – How will you react if you are sexually harassed ?
26.Does media and entertainment play a major role in eve – teasing ?
27.What do u personally think ? Is your locality safe enough for girls to roam freely?
28.Do you think eve – teasing starts as a prank but soon it gets serious ?
29..Better police patrolling needed ?
Yes
No
30.Eve- teasing – Ignore it or take action against it?

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