Keep pepper spray handy, say police to women

In an awareness programme for women, Delhi police urged them to have a pepper spray handy and use it in cases of eve-teasing or misbehaviour.

The programme was organized by the staff of Vasant Kunj police station, south Delhi on Saturday. It aimed to sensitise women and make them aware of how to handle any unforeseen situation and to improve the community policing in the area.

“No women should tolerate any kind of misbehaviour, eve teasing and must complain immediately to the police. In case of eve teasing, women should not surrender but create a hue and cry so that the culprit can be apprehended and booked,” said Chhaya Sharma, deputy commissioner of police. Police also stressed on the need for safer environments for women to travel at night. Sharma said bus or auto rickshaws should not drop women at isolated places. ‘Be Artsy’ organised a street play, as part of the programme, with the help of students from Kamla Nehru College.

“To organize a street play was an effort towards community policing. It aimed at sensitising women about misbehaviour, eve teasing, rape and dis-respect. We hope the play helps the public understand that women need to be treated respectfully,” a police official said. An interaction was held by the student volunteers as well as the police after the programme. Security tips for women were discussed in the session. The public shared their incidents of eve-teasing and how they reacted in the situations.