By Pamodi Galagoda
Sexual harassment?
Sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favor, verbal or physical conduct or gesture of a sexual nature, or any other behavior of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation to another, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment- UN women.
Sexual harassment in public places is an issue that has been constant and continues to manifest. UNFPA conducted a survey in 2015 that claimed 90% of Sri Lankan women are being harassed on public transport. At Athwela, we continue to receive disheartening stories on harassment in public places and the general lack of consideration of harassment as an issue that needs redressal. It is also a continuing concern how many children face this with having little or no information on how to prevent sexual harassment in public spaces, given that our schools still don’t have child protection education in place that help children articulate negative experiences to a trusted adult.
We use public transport for varied reasons, including it being one of the most economical modes of transport during this current financial crisis. Regardless of the reason, no person should be a victim of sexual misconduct and violence. Recent anecdotal accounts by several women who use public transport speak of how they’ve noticed men who place large pieces of luggage on their laps to prevent others seeing the sexual harassment they engage in with the woman sitting next to them. Reportedly, these men choose buses that travel long distance furnishing them with more opportunities to harass female passengers. Women who use buses that originate at the Kurunegala bus stand, including a teacher who work in Kandy, have spoken of how this behaviour creates an unnecessarily stressful and fearful environment.
The word “survivor” is often used to describe victims of sexual harassment, but in truth, some do not survive these experiences as they lead to constant anxiety, even long-term depression that may in certain instances prevent these women from accessing public transport. This leads to increased travel costs, e.g., using three-wheelers, or even debt, in the event women decide that paying a monthly lease for a scooter, even at the expense of nutritional needs, is preferable to experiencing harassment on public transport and related spaces such as bus stands.
Most women now have a habit of keeping their bag on the seat next to them until another woman arrives to claim the seat. Women are also increasingly wary and suspect any male – man or older boy – sitting next to them, or who attempt to speak to them, of being a potential harasser. This is the toxic and stressful environment that currently prevails on public transport.
It is also unfortunate that most survivors of sexual violence in public spaces do not have the strength and ability to verbalize their stories, be they female or male; a man is weak for voicing his truth and it is shameful for women to speak up. Today, most schoolgirls either get up from their seats or sit still without the knowledge of what to do, and how to respond. This is why we need child protection education in schools. From an early age, it normalizes talking about harassment and helps mitigate and prevent child sexual abuse. Done right, child protection education can help boys and men articulate their pain and move beyond internalizing their experiences of harassment and abuse.
We need a credible prevention strategy that is based on sound education principles given that our current response is dependent primarily on law enforcement. UNFPA research showed that only 4% of those who faced sexual violence on public transport came forward to report. This is primarily due to the fact that we have very little faith in our police force, which is often portrayed as being corrupt. For example, if we recall the experiences of Thilini Amalka, who was renamed the ‘Wariyapola Girl” by the press and social media, we see circumstances in which the Wariyapola police officers revictimized her repeatedly, even claiming she was mentally unfit to strike the boy that verbally harassed her at the Wariyapola bus stand.
That said, the Athwela team works with local police to prevent revictimization by police, and in general the response from the women and children’s desks of the police stations in the Ibbagamuwa division have been positive. This includes accessing psychosocial and legal support Athwela provides, and also working with Grassrooted facilitators to conduct child protection programmes in local schools. So, positive outcomes are possible.
Some real stories from Kandy:
“I was going home after school. The bus was crowded to the point where I couldn’t move. An old man, probably in his late 60’s put his knee between my legs and lifted it. I was shocked but I couldn’t do anything as it was crowded. I only told my mother when I got home.” Female student, 14 y/o – Incident in 2018
“I am a teacher. I only get the bus from the bus stand because I like to sit comfortably when I’m traveling home. A middle-aged man sat next to me with a travelling bag. As the bus started moving he started putting his hand on my waist and I got furious so I yelled at him. The man stood up defensively mumbling. Regardless of what he said or what the passengers thought, I got to travel safely to my home without being molested. Why didn’t I go to the police? Because they would find the story hilarious or insult me. I have been to the polices station, I know what they are like.” Female teacher, 58 y/o – Incident in 2018
I got on the bus at 6 pm after scouting practices, a man sat next to me and started touching my thigh. I yelled at the old man as I was tired and angry. He stood and got off the bus. I didn’t tell anyone as I thought it was not a big deal and they would anyway laugh at me or call me a homosexual.” Male student, 18 y/o – Incident in 2022
“I am an intern at a famous company. As I was returning home a man came up to me and asked me about my personal information and started flirting after I answered. I was extremely uncomfortable as it was past 6pm. I immediately got on a three-wheeler instead of the bus and went home.” Female Intern, 22 y/o – Incident in 2022
These snapshots reflect what we face every day in Sri Lanka. It is arguably a snapshot of what people face most places in the world where women and girls, and men and boys, face sexual harassment and violence. The ‘Me Too’ movement began in 2018. Women all over the world came forward. While Hollywood and Harvey Weinstein garnered the most press. Women from all across the world spoke of their trauma – from sexual harassment they endured in public places to rape by family members, bosses, and strangers. It created a safe space for women to open up about their truth and not be judged for it.
The Aljazeera piece in 2021 on the belated Sri Lanka #MeToo movement portrays us struggling with the reality that we have allowed for in Sri Lanka; a reality that every young girl has to experience as she grows and looks ripe enough to be sexualized. Although there have been sporadic efforts, including campaigns to address sexual violence in public spaces, by numerous civil society organizations over the years, including a Does She Travel Safe? campaign by UNFPA in 2019 that partnered with government agencies such as the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, and the Colombo Municipal Council, women and girls, and some boys as evidenced, still find ourselves helpless when we experience sexual violence in public spaces.
What should be done?
Our laws need to be implemented
Laws that specifically prevent sexual harassment in public spaces [e.g., Section 345 of the Sri Lanka Penal Code] exist. Laws that punish perpetrators of sexual violence exist. Yet, given that the implementation of these laws is often patchy – rape convictions, for example, depending on the report you read may take anything from 8 to 14 years – the confidence in the system has deteriorated, arguably to an all-time low. Legal reform to fast-track cases related sexual violence have been spoken of repeatedly in recent years, but no real practical solutions have been cognized by the general public.
Do not be ashamed
Our society has successfully stigmatized speaking up on sexual harassment. And it is up to us to change this system; a system where we are forced to accept what we are told and forced to disregard whatever is deemed “too sensitive” to share publicly. The #MeToo movement opened up doors for women to speak up and not be ashamed of what we experience. We need to go beyond online campaigns to some form of education reform in Sri Lanka that will equip our young women and men to speak truth to power. Education based on social emotional learning principles which include respect for self, other and difference, education that values consent, compassion and kindness, is key.
Support the movement
The feminist movement is primarily one that advocates for equality. In recent years, especially in Sri Lanka, feminism is perceived as a movement that is inherently anti-men or anti-masculine. This portrayal of feminism as man-hating is one that purveyors of patriarchal ideologies would love you to believe, be they men, or women. It’s simple really, women are not objects. We think, feel, breathe, hurt, and want to live and enjoy life, just as any human would, just like our men. Feminism is about men and women being equal and living within an equitable society where we are not judged on the basis of whether we have a penis or vagina. It is a movement that celebrates the humanity of both women and men. It is a movement that values human security. It is a movement of hope, not hate.
Reimagine Education
We need to begin with adopting the approach of the National Child Protection Authority and ensure that every child has access to child protection education that helps them identify potential abuse and seek help from a trusted adult to either prevent that abuse from happening, or at the very least, happening again, and again. This is a non-controversial issue. Our society claims to value the child, yet how idiotic that we don’t value their safety. Teachers must be given the skills to teach child protection in the classroom. Good touch-bad-touch-articulate how you feel-identify your trusted adults… this is the science of education. This is not a new approach, and it is by no means a Western idea, it’s just sensible to equip our children with the tools to keep them safe and happy and healthy.
We need to ensure that our teachers have the skills also to discuss sex and relationships in the classroom. Currently, children, whatever the age, have unlimited access to information online about sex and relationships. Is it not the most sensible thing then to make sure we have a structured age-appropriate approach to help them make sense of what they encounter in online spaces? Is it not sensible for us to make sure they have the information they need to make informed healthy decisions and choices in context of their relationships? Is it not sensible to make sure that we continue to develop our health and physical education syllabus and make sure teachers are adequately trained to overcome conscious and unconscious bias so as to implement it as designed? [Why do students who have access to HIV prevention information in their textbooks still contract a wholly preventable virus?]
Unless we reimagine our approach to education, our patriarchal status quo will prevail. Men and boys will continue to see themselves and entitled and privileged as they perceive the girl and woman as an object to possess and play with as they will.