Sexual harassment not abating

ACCORDING to a recent government survey, more than 40 per cent women have faced sexual harassment in public spaces. The results merely reinforce what has been common knowledge for some time now.  The fact that women of various age groups are subject to unwarranted touching in crowded spaces and by boys and men goes to show one thing – a resigned attitude of society at large to such errant behaviour which is nothing short of a social malaise placing fetters on women's mobility. This is a phenomenon that is happening everywhere, in cities and villages, harassment knows no social strata. The most common reaction to such incidents when they get highlighted through some sensational case is talk of tougher laws.
However, do we need more laws or rather the enforcement of existing ones? Is it not a fact that the law takes matters relating to sexual harassment lightly and is only spurred into action when an incident makes national headlines. Indeed, laws are already in place to tackle both stalking and sexual harassment. There are ample provisions in both Bangladesh Penal Code and Nari O Shishu Nirjatan Ain, 2000 to create deterrence against such deviant behaviour. But laws are only good when enforced. Law enforcers will only be successful in this sphere when supported by a sensitised public and a supportive judiciary.