Editorial
The malady of eve teasing
Time it's dealt with effectively
YET another death of a young girl driven to committing suicide being no longer able to withstand the agony perpetrated on her by some eve teasers. Reportedly, she and her family had been undergoing harassment for a long time, and, regrettably, all the remonstrations of the girl's mother and her calls for help had failed to bring her respite or give her the remedy. The result another young life fallen by the wayside.
Elora is but the latest victim -- who preferred an extreme step to ignominy or constant sense of insecurity -- of several such instances in recent times resulting from barbaric stalking. And although the rogues in some cases have been apprehended we are worried that such incidents continue to occur.
While it will be convenient to write this case off as just another instance of law and order issue, which in certain sense it is, but we would be remiss if we overlooked the underlying problems. There are moral and social values that are at stake here, and there is the issue of society, community or the neighbourhood intervening at some level to preempt such tragic consequences.
What surprises and pains us is to read about the mother's helpless plea to the local elders and her neighbours to do something about the matter falling on deaf ears. Not only that, the victim's family was kept from seeking police help by threats from the accused and his gang.
We are concerned because these incidents are indications of a deep-rooted malady that is eating into the very fabric of the society. We are concerned too at the apparent lack of sensitivity of the community to issues that dwell on the moral and ethical, which have to do with the standards of acceptable social behaviour. And the propensity to keep aloof from involving oneself to help resolve such a matter by standing up to the offenders is equally disturbing.
What we see happening today cannot be remedied by the application of law alone, although arrest of the offenders and quick disposal of the cases would help curb such uncivilised propensity considerably. But what is needed most is the proactive and forceful role of the society to retrieve social and moral values which have eroded over the years. There has been a colossal erosion of parental authority, and the role of the local elders in such issues has all but vanished. It is time for a collective reassertion.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Related News
India’s ‘push-in’ strategy violates international law
11 hour(s) ago
Editorial
Why build roads through a reserved forest?
20 June 2026, 13:00 PM
Editorial
An alarming report on children’s exposure to climate risks
19 June 2026, 19:07 PM
Editorial
Why is safe water inaccessible for millions despite rising spending?
19 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
BB must confront bad loans’ true scale
18 June 2026, 18:38 PM
Editorial
Comments