HOW TO MAKE LIVES BETTER FOR WOMEN IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

She is walking to her class and passes by a group of boys. She notices the 6 pairs of eyes staring at her with pure malice, yet she doesn’t pay any heed. “Bold of her to show up here today.”, one of them remarks. She heard the murmur as clear as day but still chose not to look back and proceeded to the classroom. Exactly what crime did she commit to be treated like this? This unforgivable crime was nothing other than her blocking one of those guys on social media because he was making her uncomfortable via text. And just like that, she was judged unfairly simply for doing what was sensible and made her comfortable.

She can’t address the boys directly, they will assume it is a ‘hint’. She can’t go to the teachers, they will say “boys will be boys”. What can she do? I’d say it is less of what the girl can do and more of what everyone else should do.

Although the punishments for such acts have been reformed in many institutions, the majority of them are still behind on this act of utmost importance. The simple punishment of suspension, a notification to the parents of such harassers, and involving the authorities if the teasing continues should suffice because ‘yes’, there are laws against such acts (although them getting enforced is a story for another day) and ‘yes’, many boys do such things because they are under the impression that their parents will never know, just like their parents are under the impression that they raised them well.

Some people would be of the opinion that to settle the score, they’d suggest that 6 boys can be fought off with 6 girls, they’d prove their four digit IQ by saying that if they harass you, you harass them. Simple. No, not simple. Over the previous decades, the male ego has been shaped to be this fragile being for which you’ll have to face the consequences if you hurt it. Rome was built over centuries and destroyed in a day doesn’t apply here. 

Shattering the toxic confidence that they can do whatever they want doesn’t work, but dismantling it piece by piece is the way to go. This can only be done by the parents changing the way they raise their boys, and then encouraging their daughters to be strong and not to give in to such behavior. This can be done by the schools arranging regular classes on mannerisms and the limits that one shall never cross. Laying the proper foundation in years of upbringing will make sure that the boys of the upcoming generation understand their responsibilities, and the girls understand their rights.