Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here: Understanding the Problem of “Eve Teasing” in Chennai, India

Fear of victimization and crime are important concerns for women in cities around the world, and this fear is provoked through encounters with men in public space because they are “unpredictable, potentially uncontrollable and hence threatening.” The South Asian literature has focused more on the subordinate role of women in Indian society and the workplace than on gender-based crime (referred to as “Eve teasing”) in the public spaces and transportation systems in South Asia. The objective of this paper is to elicit information on sexual harassment faced by women commuters in Chennai, India. The study found 66% of the surveyed respondents had been sexually harassed while commuting. Many of the respondents first encountered sexual harassment during their adolescent years. Very few (5% or less) found any of the modal choices to be best. The largest number of women (more than 40%) rated their worst harassment experiences to be in buses and trains with no separate sections for women. The paper offers other findings on the nature and frequency of sexual harassment and suggestions to address these incidents.

• Record URL:
  http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/165294.aspx
• 
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://www.trb.org/Main/Blurbs/Womens_Issues_in_Transportation_Summary_of_the_4th_165294.aspx
• Authors:
  • Mitra-Sarkar, Sheila
  • Partheeban, P
• Conference:
  • 4th International Conference on Women's Issues in Transportation
  • Location: Irvine California, United States
  • Date: 2009-10-27 to 2009-10-30
• Publication Date: 2011

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 74-84
• Monograph Title: Women's Issues in Transportation: Summary of the 4th International Conference. Volume 2: Technical Papers
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue Number: 46
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 1073-1652

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bus transit; Commuting; Females; Public transit; Railroad commuter service; Sexual harassment
• Geographic Terms: Chennai (India)
• Subject Areas: Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; I70: Traffic and Transport;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01339631
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780309160834
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 11 2011 2:21PM