Content area
Full Text
Abstract
This article is based on a research conducted to see the relationship of sexual harassment with mobility of females, going out daily, in Lahore Metropolitan. Forms, causes, effects and strategies (individual/mass level) to handle the problem were studied using mixed methods including structured schedule, in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions. While using purposive sampling technique, 600 females were grouped into three categories of: students, working women and housewives to get their opinion about extent of the problem and suggestions to tackle the problem of sexual harassment in the absence of legal definition (including legal response) of street sexual harassment in Pakistan. Data, thus collected, were analyzed using descriptive as well as inferential statistical (averages, correlations, ANOVA). To solve the problem, all study participants demanded a more serious role of law enforcement agencies.
Keywords: Sexual harassment, Females, Mobility, Male domination.
1.Introduction
This paper discusses the results of a study into the relationship between mobility and sexual harassment of women while they go about their everyday lives, the consequent effect on women's mobility, their future aspirations, the need for a cultural shift in terms of women's perceived and real status and place in society, and the resulting need for a consideration of the safety of female's person and her worth and dignity as a citizen of Pakistan.
The publication of this paper is timely against the backdrop of the Harvey Weinstein case and the resulting '#MeToo' social media campaign (The Washington Post, 2017) to highlight the fact that the harassment of women is common, and yet, it is largely ignored throughout the world. The significance of this paper is increased as little has been published in Pakistan about street harassment of women, which is directly linked to their mobility, constraining which is detrimental to their already lower socioeconomic status in the society. This relationship is highlighted as earlier as in Pakistan's National Report on the Fourth World Conference On Women held in Beijing in September 1995, which highlighted the fact that women in Pakistan are hampered in taking a major role in economic development due to their restricted mobility. Sexual harassment outside the house is a major reason for this restricted mobility of females. However, not much has been done, especially by the state, to...