PROBLEMATIC PROBLEM SOLVING ISSUES:

sent by Annie
Age: 22 : Andheri Station, Mumbai


Source: Indian Express

To keep eve-teasing at bay, four Kanpur girls degree colleges have banned students from wearing jeans, tight tops, sleeveless blouse, high heels, tight fitting clothes in the campus.


Source: TOI
If you are a girl in Kanpur, you can’t wear jeans to college. , Dayanand Girl’s College, affiliated to Kanpur University, began moral policing by restricting its students from wearing western outfits on the campus. A notice to this effect was issued before the start of the
academic year.


Source: One India
We can’t overlook the safety of students. A dress code would check eve-teasing to some extent and also ensure that girls don’t waste their time selecting what clothes to wear," Jamal said.

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

1. it is not only the jeans wearing women who get violated and harassed on the street

2. women across age groups. body types. clothes, socio economic groups have been 'teased', attacked, assaulted, intimidated by random male strangers in their cities.

3. a garment may seem inappropriate to another stranger but no one 'asks for it' or deserves to be violated.

4. blaming survivors of harassment has been an age old way problematic solution. to counter that- we ask you to walk the streets of your cities without apology.


////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

We have had innumerable discussions on the Blank Noise blog about clothes. provocation. harassment. and 'asking for it'. Without further delay here's what we ask you to do:
SEND ONE GARMENT YOU WORE WHEN YOU WERE SEXUALLY HARASSED, OR 'EVE TEASED' ON THE STREET. YOUR GARMENT IS YOUR WITNESS. SAY OUT LOUD " I NEVER ASK FOR IT "


I Never Ask For it discussions can be found here:

(please send us links if you come across more of these)

http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2991

http://www.savadati.com/?p=498
http://www.savadati.com/?p=71
http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=b332809a-ea1b-4f08-84a8-bb1e55dd8584
http://www.bharatwaves.com/portal/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=9
http://www.sawf.org/newedit/edit07172006/index.asp

Chennai contact - Katheeja

email: blanknoisechennai@gmail dot com

Bangalore Contact:

Delhi Contact:

Bombay Contact:

Calcutta contact:

Lucknow: blanknoiselucknow@gmail.com

Blank Noise on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=618467372#/group.php?gid=2703755288&ref=ts

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=618467372#/group.php?gid=142739725581&ref=ts

also at fox news

links: salon

Bitch

Susan Campbell

things to do at home:

mongan iruna nayinte thalayil thenga veenathu pole
malyalam
is like a dog who was waiting for a coconut to fall on its head.
(sent by Aathira)

agar mittha samne hai toh makhi toh zaroor aasi

How would you say it in your language?

"I NEVER ASK FOR IT"

I NEVER ASK FOR IT.

(in Deutsche):
contributed by Ulrike Syha
Ich habe nie darum gebeten.
or
Darum habe ich nie gebeten.
I would prefer the latter.


(in French) :
contributed by Roselyne Titaud and Barret Clemence
je n'ai jamais demandé ça



(in Malyalam) :
contributed by Nandini Raja
njaan aavashyapettilla = I never ask for it.

contributed by Farid Jalal
jyaan teere athinnu choichitilla = I have never asked for it.



(in Oriya) :
contributed by Snigdha Sahoo
mun kebe bi e sabu chaanhi na thili - i never ask for it


(in Gujarati):
contributed by Niyati Patel
hoon kyarey magti nathi - i never ask for it
me kyarey aa magyu nathi - i have never asked for it
mane aa joytu nathi - i dont want this

(in Bangla) :

contributed by Sunayana Roy

Ami to chai ni -- I did not ask for it
Ami kokhunoyi chai na -- I never ask for it
Ami e shob chai na -- I don't want all this

(in Marathi):

contributed by Poonam Vaidya
मी कद्धी नाही हेचा साथी विचारल : mi kadi nahi hecha saathi vicharal= I never ask for it

(in Tamil) :

contributed by Miruna Varadarajan
naan varavazhaipadu alla = i do not invite
naanketpadu alla = i do not ask for it

contributed by R. Jai Krishna

naan ketkamataen = I never ask for it

(in Assamese) :
contributed by Arundhati Banerjee
"Moi ketiao chowa nai"......I never asked for it

(in Punjabi) :
contributed by Jasso Rani
mein maaf karna. eh kade meri galti nahin si= excuse me but it wasn't my fault.
mein kadey mangya nayi = i never ask for it

mein bilkul pasand nahi= i absolutely dislike it
akhir gur da ki kasoor= but why blame sugar? ( in reference to jithe gur uthe makhi* check image)
istey meri ki galti= why are you blaming me?


contributed by Gujan Chugh
Main eh taanh nahin si mangya= I had not asked for it

How was it implied in your language?

"She 'asked for it'?"

could be proverbs, statement, sayings from everyday conversations

"She 'asked for it":

1. Aap theek ho toh sab theek hai. (hindi) = if you are okay, then everything is okay.

2. ladki agar santo key beech par jayegi to santo toh bharka gain na? (hindi)= a girl can provoke the saints too.

3. agar mittha samne hai toh makhi toh zaroor aasi ( punjabi) = agar meethu sammey paduy che to makhi chokase avse( gujarati) =
if there's something sweet , then it is obvious that the flies will be there too.
gujurati version sent by Darshana Panchal

4. pennorumbettaal brahmanum (malayalam) = if a women wishes so, even Brahma cannote escape her advances.
sent by Suman

5. ila chennu mullil veenaalum mullu vannu ilayil veenalum kedu ilakkaanu =this is actually kind of cautionary stuff for all mallu girls of all generations. if the leaf falls on the thorns or the thorn falls on a leaf, whatever may be, it is the leaf that gets torn off.

(well actually a warning kind a.hey girl, do not go and do things, and then later on complain about it. whether you do it or they do, you are the one to suffer. hence, make no room for any such incidents only)
sent by Suman


6. ladki ki izzat kaanch ke jaisi hai. joh toot jata hai judta nahin hai = a girls modesty/respectablity is like glass. once broken it cannot be fixed.
sent by Nita Patheja

7. "Dangling a carrot in front of a donkey".
sent by Annie Zaidi

8. Juttu vippokoni gattiga navvey aada daani, yennadu nammoddhu!

old telugu saying = never trust a woman who laughs loudly with her hair open

sent by the much harassed Vijay Sai

9. streeche paul vakde padle ki samajacha naash suru hoto (marathi)= the moment a woman steps out of line (breaks social mores), the social decay begins.
sent by Pranav Joshi

10. andaman ki baarish aur aurat ka koi bharosa nahin hai= they say this in the andamans if they feel betrayed by women= the rains in andaman are unpredictable just like women.
sent by Rani Kamal

11. ek miyan mein doh talwar= 2 women in a house will always create havoc.
sent by Rani Kamal

12. jithe doh auratan hon uthe bhande kharakde hi hain= 2 women in a house will always create noise/ fight/ make trouble
sent by Indri

13. "Beware of the 3 Ws in life- women wine and wealth"
sent by Rani Kamal

14. aurtan ni gallan te nahin aana chahida. punjabi. statement = dont get into what women say.
sent by Rani Kamal

15. "Ela estava mesmo a pedi-las" Portuguese for "She was really asking for it", commonly used when, say, a rape is associated to the clothes the girl / woman was wearing at the time of the assault.

sent by Joao Lemos

16. "woh muchh hi kya jise fera nahi jaata; woh ladki hi kya jise chheda nahi jaata."hindi= ('what is a moustache that can't be curled up, what is a girl who is not teased.')

sent by Mohnish

17. "Shei orokom meye" is the sense of nudge, nudge, wink, wink, you know, she's that kind of girl. sent by Sunayana Roy

18. "Jithe Gur uthe makhi"= where there is gur/ jaggery- there will be flies.

19. "mongan iruna nayinte thalayil thenga veenathu pole"

this is a colloquial saying in Malayalam which literally means this(situation) is like a dog who was waiting for a coconut to fall on its head.
sent by Aathira

CALLING ACTION HEROES IN BOMBAY

Calling Action Heroes to meet in Bombay. Carter Road. Sunday April 19. at 4 pm

There's a dress 'code':
Wear a garment you always wished to wear but did not or could not because something told you, you might be 'asking for it'.

Please bring along a garment you wore when you were 'teased' or harassed on the street.

***The intervention itself will be simple and in true Blank Noise spirit, will involve public participation> details shall be emailed after you confirm attending.

The event will end with a discussion.

Should you wish to help towards making this event happen- please email us at blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com and add your name to the list below:

1. Varsha Chandwani
2. Mohnish Moorjani
3. Pranav Joshi
   
4. Kismet Nakai
5. Nisha Chandwani
6. Manu
7. Varsha Panikar + friends
   
8. Aparna Hajnis + friends
   
9. Punit
10. Zuleikha
11. Nhar
12. Mansi
    
13. Gayatri
    
14. Gyan
15. Saumya
16. Aparna
17. Saurabh
    
18. you?
    

Stay tuned. to organize an event in your city get in touch asap.
Yours truly
Blank Noise Team




facebook events:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2301742&id=500896078#/event.php?eid=71245793908

facebook group/ I NEVER ASK FOR IT/ BLANK NOISE
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2301742&id=500896078#/group.php?gid=142739725581&ref=ts

Blank Noise on facebook
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2301742&id=500896078#/group.php?gid=2703755288&ref=ts

BOMBAY. MARCH 29.

photo credit: Manu + Jasmeen

Bombay Action Heroes : Pranav , Punit, Saurabh, Kismet Nakai, Manu, Chaitra, Ruth Lobo, Priyanka Suryaneyni, Yamini Deen, Varsha Panikar, Ushi.

MAKE A SIGN

- by Ilona Granet



Make a street sign.

It can be in any city , street , lane , neighbourhood you want. You could think of signs in buses, parks, night clubs, movie halls, malls and markets- it is up to you to spell out which kind of place you want your sign in. It could even be in sites where women have experienced street sexual harassment- like here.

You are welcome to say anything you want.



Guidelines:

1. we encourage submissions that are affirmative.

2. your submission should include a brief note about which place you want to insert the sign in and why

3. it could be in any language but an English translation is important.

4. It does not need to have text. It could just be visual.

5. It does not need to have visual. It could just be text.

6. It could have both text and visual.

7. You must send us a web friendly jpeg/ png/ file, but remember not to throw away the original vector file incase yours is selected for printing!

8. you may be the recruiter- you could involve your local network to work on this.
for example- if you are a teacher- this could be a class assignment. If you are in college- you could organize a community of people to work on this.

9. Some of you might have better writing skills than visualization skills, in that case you are
welcome to send text for a street sign. Based on the response to this event we might have the option of someone with visual skills partnering with you to make this sign.

10. keep it simple

Your street sign will be put on the Blank Noise blog + flickr.
3 signs will be selected to be tried and tested in public. The selected signs could also be printed on t shirts.


Deadline: 17th May. 2009
Confirm your participation by emailing us at blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com
subject titled SIGN. We will add your name to the list below. Sign UP! Be an Action Hero.

We are always avaliable to chat with you about your idea for the street sign before your submission.



Here's what we want to say and why:

We are talking of safer cities not feared cities
We are talking of independent women, not paranoid women.
We are talking about collective responsibility- don't tell me to be even more 'cautious'.
We are talking about eve teasing as street sexual harassment and street sexual violence.
We are talking about autonomous women, not just mothers daughters and sisters amidst fathers brothers and sons.



resources/ reference
In the past we have discussed
this
and this
and this
and this
and this
and this

Sometimes we just love to walk, stand around, hang around, without looking ‘available'.

Street Sign: No Misbehaving. No Eve Teasing.

photographed by Manu
spotted by Mohnish Moorjani
Location: Joggers Park. Bombay

Seen anything like this before? Tell us about it- (better still if you could attach a photo)
e: blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com

THIS PLACE

photograph it

place it here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/blanknoisethisplace/map

e:blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com

Bombay. March 15.

photo credits. Punit and Yamini


Yamini Deen reports:

After so many Blank Noise interventions, the street in my head is like a laboratory of delicious experiments- those of provocation, the test of limits .

The street tells so many stories of wooing , of harassing, of hookers , of control, of sexuality .

SO Gateway Sunday was one such experience.

I walked up and down the promenade for a while. I went and politely handed the letter to anyone who responded to me in some way-lewd, curious,anything.

Some men would look at me up and down in the lewdest way possible and get completey flabbergasted if I went up to them, smiled and handed a letter.

Guilt? Fear? Something they didn't expect?

One man came to me and said
''So you think I am eve teasing you''?
''Why did you only give me the letter''?

He later told a male friend.
'If a girl walks ''that way''..you know one assumes she is asking for sex.'

But Gateway is also a space where they pick up men/women for sex. is the line between being unapologetic and sexually overt so thin?

But I am by now extremely unapologetic about my walking.

Anyhow, in the corner right in front of a gateway of India stood a pretty white woman in a short yellow dress. When I first spotted her, men collected in a line , at a 'safe' distance and stared.

She fiddled with her phone.I handed her a letter and left.

After a while, I went there and noticed that men were taking turns to take pictures with her.

(This while she was holding our letter)

She was smiling. The crowd thickened. Rumours flew like sparks and at other parts of the promenade, fellow blank noise members overheard conversations

about Preity Zinta or 'some' celebrity being there.

(A photo op for random loiterers, is that the new hobby of celebrities?)

Well.,after a while, about 40 men had crowded around her taking turns to take a picture with her.They helped themselves to her waist while holding her.



And she was smiling , mostly, slightly embarrassed , occasionally uncomfortable.

And maybe behind all mobs, there are a few complacent cops standing at a corner.

We asked the cops why they didn't stop anyone.

They said it was because she agreed to have her picture taken.

I was wondering then if in my mind I allowed the thought that she might have actually enjoyed the attention.And NOT in a negative way- not in a she deserved it sort of a way.

We asked her and she said 'Now , ask them to go.'

It was like a constant seesaw between comfort and discomfort for her.She never really looked threatened, to me atleast.

The only thing that worried me was how the mob gathered so fast, and mobs being mobs, can go out of control.

Which again brings me to the question of when attention is threatening, when it is mildly irritating, when it is flattering and when it can make you bawl.

Action Heroes include: Yamini Deen, Pranav Joshi, Kismet Nakai, Punit, April.

Next event: Blank Noise Bombay on March 29th. Sunday.

CALLING ACTION HEROES. REPORT AT blurtblanknoise at gmail dot com

Updates from Bangalore!

Protesting the recent reported attacks against women in Bangalore and the apathy and indifference displayed by the city's Police Commissioner, Fearless Karnataka/Nirbhaya Karnataka submitted a memorandum to the State's DGP on March 7. When the group finally met him a few days later, victims recounted their experiences and the group submitted the memorandum again alongwith some specific questions:


1. Donna Fernandes (Vimochana) – Is it possible for a ½ day meeting with women from various NGOs and the police? We never get through to ACPs or Inspectors when we call the police station. We want time with you so we can better the system.

Ajay Singh – What I wanted was a half day meeting with the Commissioner. I will call Infant (ADGP law and Order, State) and invite some senior officers.

2. Group – Every month the Commissioner needs 2-3 hours to hear women's voices and NGO voices.

Ajay Singh – I can't disclose very much but I have written to him about the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and about your incidents. I have told him that these are serious investigations. It has been very disturbing for me to read your email (gesturing Rest House Road complainants).

3. Priya (victim) – Filing an FIR is the last resort and we are strong and vocal but there are so many more people who are not filing FIRs. Can a note be sent to police stations highlighting the particular incidents and urging police to take action in such cases?

Ajay Kumar Singh – Great idea will you help me work on it?

4. Group – Public communication, billboards needed.

Ajay Kumar Singh - This is a good idea.(The group needs to figure a way to take this forward)

5. Donna – It's crucial for communities to get together at various police station levels and the ACP should publicly commit themselves that these issues will not be taken lightly. We need to marginalise these intolerant voices. The local police, MLAs should be on the panel and commit themselves.

Singh – The MLAs will be busy till the elections are over.

6. Jiti – Can we build in measures like surety - what other legal interventions can be made to ensure justice?

Singh – We also get the blame for many things that are not our fault and that are the blame of other departments. For instance after the Mangalore open meeting women are saying we released the suspects but actually the courts released them. Surety/Self bail: I don't know what we as Police can suggest – may be you can meet the Administrative judge.

7. Archana – Is there any one single emergency contact number?

Singh – Well in addition to 100 do pass on this number, it's the DGPs control room and I will instruct them to contact the local police station: 22942111.

Referring to memorandum in front of him: I've agreed to almost all of these. I'll have to call the Commissioner and other officers and we can take this forward.

8. Donna - Can we have a higher monitoring committee of senior officers who will oversee the process of such cases right from the filing of the FIR?

Singh - I will pass an order immediately. (Calls PA in and issues orders to Pujar to oversee these particular incidents).

Agrees to a “a half day meeting that will end in something productive” and to issue a public statement after meeting with officers and going through the memorandum. Has also asked for a copy of all fled FIRs which was dropped off at his office the next day.

We are now waiting for him to revert to us.

Memorandum to the Inspector General of Police. Karnataka

Fearless Karnataka. Nirbhaya Karnataka submitted this to IGP , Ajai Singh on March 7th. Tomorrow March 12th , 5 people ( Alternative Law Forum , Blank Noise, Vimochana and 2 survivors of the recent attacks)
are going to hear a response from the IGP. We will keep you updated.




7^th March 2009

To:

Director General of Police

Karnataka

Nruputunga Road

Bangalore

Sir,

We approach you with a sense of anger as well as sadness that as we gather to celebrate International Women's Day, there is a growing sense of insecurity and fear in the state as far as women are concerned.

Over the last one month several women have been violently attacked across Karnataka.

In Bangalore alone:

* On 28 February 2009 at 10.30 pm, Sanjana got hit by two men on a bike who slowed down, socked her on her jaw and fled away.

* On 24 February 2009, Vandana was attacked at around 9 pm by four men who punched her, hit her, and abused her for wearing jeans.

On 17 February 2009, two men chased Archana's car at 1.30 pm. One chased her with a large stone as she ran to a friend’s house for refuge.

That same week, Jasmine (name changed) was attacked by four middle-aged men at 11.30 am when her auto broke down. They physically assaulted and tried to disrobe her while yelling obscenities.

More than 70 attacks cases of moral policing have been reported from all over Karnataka in the last six months for supposed violations of the moral code like a Hindu girl talking to a Muslim boy, attack on a dance school, attack on girls and boys from different religions who 'dare' to go out together. ( We annex a summary of these incidents reported in both the English and Kannada press ).

The police have not taken meaningful steps to stop or prevent this violence, to arrest the perpetrators, or to ensure the safety of all women in Bangalore and Karnataka.

In connections with cases reported in Bangalore City, a group of concerned citizens met with Mr. Shankar Bidari, Commisiioner of Police, Bangalore City, on 2^th March 2009. We are deeply disappointed with his statement that these incidents do not in anyway indicate that Bangalore is not safe for women. He was dismissive of our concerns and also alleged that women who had lodged FIRs had not provided any proper information to aid in the investigation. We have no other option but to believe that Mr. Bidari is not in a position to ensure that women in Bangalore can walk the streets without fear of assault and molestation. He further went on record to state that the case reported in Indiranagar was one of hit and run and that it was the woman-complainant’s actions that caused the attack on her. This indicates that he is escaping from his responsibility of safeguarding the freedom and dignity of women. Such statements are not at all becoming of an officer who holds such a responsible position in the city.

The stated opinion of the Commissioner of Police, Bangalore city, is that these are but stray incidents and that few FIR's have been filed. We would like to draw your attention to the fact that this viewpoint is itself part of the problem.

Crimes against women cannot be measured merely by the number of FIR's are registered, a fact that the police should realize. We expect the police to acknowledge the reality of violence against women and work in a spirit of co-operation with civil society groups to ensure that more women do indeed begin to file FIR's. We are deeply distressed and angry that the Commissioner of Bangalore Police instead of starting from this premise has reacted defensively and, dare we say, in the best traditions of male chauvinism by questioning the veracity of the complaint and casting aspersions on the motivations of the few brave women who have filed a complaint. In fact, the Indiranagar Police Station have refused to lodge and FIR and instead issued an acknowledgment to the complainant stating that complaint is false.

Our concern is that the police must enable and encourage women to file complaints rather than impede them from filing FIR's. The kind of investigation which the police are carrying out even in the two cases in which FIRs have been finally lodged has been very insensitive to the women concerned. After each aggressive session with the police they come away with the feeling that they are not victims but wrongdoers. If such is the attitude of the police it is not surprising that women do not file complaints. This police attitude needs to change and we need to see change from the very top of Bangalore's police hierarchy.

We approach you in the spirit, that we must start from the premise that we have a problem and then work towards redressing the same. We are confident that you share our concern about the safety of women on the streets of Bangalore .

These attacks are crimes against women. They are legal offences. They are neither isolated events nor trivial incidents of ‘eve-teasing’. They are part of a series of attacks inflicted on women in the name of ‘morality’ and religious intolerance, attacks that are escalating as women resist and fight back. We must bring to your attention that in all the incidents women have been targeted for what they have been wearing, the fact that they were on the road late at night or that they should not have been in a particular location. The motivation behind the attacks is to compel women to subscribe to a narrow definition of culture and modesty. Moral and cultural policing of this nature is undertaken to restrict the freedom of women to live full and meaningful lives. It is unfortunate that police officers in police station are also reflecting the same mindset when women are trying to lodge cases.

It is the core responsibility of the state and city police to ensure that public spaces are kept safe for all. Women across class barriers – from powrakarmikas to garment factory workers to students and young professionals in the corporate sector – have today become vulnerable targets on the streets of Karnataka.

We are also hereby expressing full faith in the Karnataka State Police and are confident that the perpetrators of these crimes will be brought to justice. We would like to emphasize that these attacks on women by the so called torchbearers of ‘Indian Culture’ are a direct attack not only on the women but also an attack on the humanity, dignity & compassion of the people who live in this state.

We urge you do take the issue of safety and dignity of women in public places as of being one of highest priority. Towards this it would be deeply appreciated if you ensure the following:

1. Issue a public statement that

• crimes against women are indeed serious offences which are occurring in Karnataka and which the police will take seriously.

• women who file complaints will not be harassed and treated as 'accused' in the name of 'investigation'.
• encourage women to file complaints and promise prompt investigation.

2. The cases that have been registered are investigated by the jurisdictional police immediately all across Karnataka

3. With particular reference to Bangalore- given that two of the incidents that have been reported are near the Mt. Carmel College for Women, High Grounds Police Station is directed to take adequate measures to ensure the safety of women in this area.
4. All police stations Karnataka are sent a notice stating that such incidents of violence against women have been on the rise, directing the police to register and lodge FIRs if women are coming forth with complaints without any delay.
5. Karnataka police in collaboration with other civil society organizations undertakes a wide spread public campaign informing citizens of their duty to act when they witness such incidents. As well as publicize emergency numbers that can be contacted.
6. To use the hoardings of the Police Department to publicize the fact that so called 'eve teasing' is a serious form of sexual harassment ie. a crime punishable by law and that the police will not hesitate to take stern action in this regard.
7. A 24- hour help line is set up specifically for women in distress.
8. A list of Police Stations & Hospital numbers in all areas in city editions of newspapers across Karnataka.
9. To educate the public on how to file an F.I.R and that it is their right to do so.
10. A list of the number of Hoysalas patrolling per jurisdiction & the frequency of such patrols.

Sir, it cannot be stressed enough that Karnataka must be a place where women are not in fear of being harassed and attacked in public places. These attacks on women not only cause fear and panic among women. They also the tarnish the reputation of the state of Karnataka as a place in which women can enjoy their freedom.

We are anxious that you act strongly and decisively so that these attacks on women are brought to a stop immediately.

We will be happy to collaborate with you in any manner towards ensuring a safer place for the women in Karnataka.

Thanking you

Sincerely,