Women often have to adopt an alarming number of hacks to feel safe and protected in crowded spaces. How many of these do you swear by?
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00:00Since I was a child, I've had many instances of getting groped in public.
00:05I'm constantly in fear of being groped or touched, simply because I'm a woman.
00:12Which is such a weird thing to say. It should not be happening to anybody, regardless of gender or age.
00:18I am very hyper-vigilant of all of my surroundings, like, my eyes and ears are wide open.
00:26And I am ready to pounce, should anything untoward happen.
00:30I always try to maintain one arm distance with any stranger.
00:35And I use my mobile less, so that I can focus more on my surroundings and my awareness.
00:41I never wear heels in a public place.
00:44Just in case I need to, like, run away from a situation.
00:47Makes me feel more confident, in case there's a need to, sort of, you know, run or walk fast or kick someone.
00:54When I carry my bag, I would hold it across my chest.
00:58Because this way, you know, my front feels protected.
01:01And my hands are left free to protect my bag, if needed.
01:04I carry huge bags with me, so that if there's somebody around me,
01:08I could actually use it as a shield or use it for my self-defense.
01:12I'm very aware of the things that I have in my bag, that I could fashion as a weapon.
01:17It could be a set of keys, a phone charger or a laptop charger.
01:21So I always carry a chili spray, and somehow it makes me feel safe.
01:24And then I walk like this, with my elbow outwards.
01:27So again, should anything go untoward, I just give the person a whack.
01:31So I'm always in a crossed hand position.
01:33Especially if I'm crossing, like, a crowded market or, like, a bus stop,
01:37I usually cover, like, my chest with my hands.
01:39And I put, like, my sling bag across my butt, so that nobody can grab me or grope me.
01:47I don't dress how I want.
01:49What I do is, I try to avoid wearing tight clothes.
01:52We wear very modest clothes, mostly Indian and salwar, along with the pattas,
01:59because it's more comfortable that way, working along with our local vendors or even other guests.
02:06If I'm wearing something sleeveless, then probably something that's loose.
02:09Another thing that I do usually during winters is to wear a shawl.
02:14I try and avoid taking public transportation.
02:17I make sure that when I'm traveling in a public transport, I don't fall asleep.
02:21Or check the GPS from time to time.
02:23Try to sit where the other women are sitting.
02:26And if that's not possible, I'll try to sit where the driver is,
02:29so that I can quickly alarm him if I feel uncomfortable in any way.
02:34Another thing that I do very consciously is to sit right behind the driver,
02:38so that there is lesser access.
02:41I try to keep my back sideways to avoid direct physical contact with any passenger.
02:48If the person next to me tends to move a lot so as to get a better position to touch me,
02:53or if the person sitting behind would try to slit their hand in between the seats,
02:58I would outright tell them to stop doing that in a stern voice,
03:03so they know that they cannot do that to a person.
03:06I do ensure I'm going in main roads in the night and not in like gullies,
03:13and ensure it's well lit, the area that I'm passing by.
03:18And while traveling in a metro, when I come out or get in,
03:21I make sure that I'm in a queue, because chances of being groped is maximum that time.
03:26If there is any man walking by or walking behind me, I usually speed up my pace.
03:34I either try to go towards where a lot of people are, so I can make some noise,
03:40and you know if that person insists and keeps coming behind.
03:44I ask my friends to accompany me if I'm going out somewhere.
03:48One thing that is always on my mind is how to keep myself safe.
03:51And it's very stressful to constantly be so alert and so aware.