Feminising Public Spaces: Silent Harassment In Public Spaces Hinders Gender Mobility

Economic empowerment is a subset of Gender mobility. Women need to venture out beyond the confines of their homes to engage in workforce or to pursue education. Yet, the design of public spaces that bridge their dwelling with the destinations is not gender-neutral and often enables harassment.

The micro-aggressive behaviour of men in public spaces becomes a silent killer of women’s right to mobility. Even though globalisation has opened doors for all genders, entrenched societal norms and deep-rooted patriarchal mindsets often overlook women’s roles in society.

Silent harassment: the unspoken struggle

Silent harassment, a subtle and not necessarily verbal form of harassment encompasses behaviors such as judgmental gazes, catcalling, elevator eyes, leering etc. Micro-aggressive behaviour instills a pervasive sense of dread among women. Regrettably, such instances appear to be regular state of affairs and are often ignored as trivial. Silent harassment creates fear and discomfort in the minds of women and compels them to be hyper-vigilant always.

Notably, navigating public transportation in densely populated nations like India can be a hellish situation. The design of public transport infrastructure is often planned without considering women’s specific needs. In many regions across India, it is a regular sight to see men occupying spaces for dysfunctional purposes such as socialising at tea shops, loitering at street corners. While their behaviour may not be directly blamed, it effectively monopolises areas that are already congested.

Breaking barriers for women in transport

Women who frequently use public transportation are often confronted with its harsh realities. Chiefly, securing a seat on a bus is a daunting challenge for women. Typically, men claim the window seats and exhibit reluctance to exchange places with fellow male travelers, even upon request. This lack of consideration and adamant harassment leaves women with the uncomfortable choice of either sharing a seat with men or standing for the duration of the journey.

It has become a routine occurrence to ask a male passenger to switch seats with another man, only to be met with refusal. This forces women to seek assistance from the bus conductor. On fortunate occasions, they may encounter a helpful conductor who assists in securing a seat on the bus. Sometimes, when the conductor feels irritated, women have to encounter exasperated expressions from co-passengers who are silently questioning why a woman is creating fuzz out of a little thing.

Personal narratives of women who have faced harassment

Ironically, every women has experienced such kind of issues in everyday life and have their own tales to tell. Muthulakshmi, a journalist based in Puducherry identifies catcalling as the most common form of street harassment which is difficult to measure. She recalls an incident where a man directed an inappropriate comment at her, saying ‘What a mare!’ Although she is confident the comment was intended for her, it’s not something that can be easily proven. 

Kanchana, who earns her livelihood selling fish, shared the tribulation she endures daily. She recounted experiences of silent harassment, at the hands of both male strangers and buyers. She described encountering frequent harassment from men who engage in forceful bargaining without any genuine desire to make a purchase. Thus, silent harassment faced by women has become daily part of their day to day routine.

Aparna, a tech professional, recounted a difficult experience she encountered while commuting by bus. She observed that when seated next to male passenger, he often sought to strike up a conversation, persisting even when she tried to politely extricate herself from the unsolicited advances. 

Gender-inclusive design

Feminising public spaces is necessary to make them safer for women. It is pertinent here to take note of the Zero ticket bus travel scheme initiated by the Government of Tamil Nadu allowing women passengers to travel free of cost up to the distance of 30 kms. The study conducted by Citizen consumer and civic action group on the working of the scheme reveals that women saved Rs. 400 per month and this scheme has empowered them to move freely while improving the work participation of women. 

In Spain, the act of ‘manspreading’ is banned, acknowledging it as an infrastructural concern that impairs women’s freedom of movement. ‘Manspreading’ refers to the habit where a man sits with his legs broadly splayed, thereby intruding upon the space of the seat next to him. This conduct, most frequently observed in public transit, is commonly linked to a man’s deep-seated compulsion to establish dominance, which in turn diminishes the personal space afforded to women.

The prevalence of manspreading in public transport system represents an ongoing challenge for working women during their daily commutes. Originating in New York in 2014 after a public campaign, the term ‘manspreading’ has since encapsulated the frustrating experience of men occupying excessive space on public transport, often spanning more than one seat.

This behaviour, emblematic of a broader societal issue, continues to be a source of contention, particularly affecting professional women in urban settings as they navigate to and from their workplaces.

Beyond the realm of political reform, every person has the capacity to contribute to the advancement of women’s rights. A collective women group, offering mutual support in perilous circumstances and advocating for one another against public harassment, has the power to revolutionise society. Embracing the mantra “Make noise to make change” can assuredly create an environment where women can navigate without dismay.