Creating awareness around Gender and Sexual Harassment

The workshop was conducted at Balbharti college on 9th August by Ashwini Syed for approximately 80 students. Professors along with the NSS members were also present. It was an interactive session where students were asked about where they felt safe and many different answers were given. Some students felt safe in their comfort zones while others with family, friends and mobile phones. Some of them felt safe when they had their bags on their lap while they were sitting, their mindset, positive vibes, etc. The difference between the concepts of “comfort” and “safety” was also noted down after listening to the different viewpoints aired by the students. A student asked about ways to deal with the society when the society has a different viewpoint.

Before the session, students were not aware about the different forms of sexual violence and were of the opinion that sexual harassment meant rape. The students said they did not feel safe in places without lights, when they had to be around unknown people, negative thoughts, crowded places, etc. A student  shared her experience about the time in college when her photograph was captured without her consent and she complained about it to the professor of her college. Another student shared her experience about accepting an unknown friend request from a boy just because she found him cute.

Many concepts relating to the topic were shared. They also shared experiences that they had read, seen or heard of. The workshop was conducted in an efficient manner and the students found it informative. There was an enthusiasm among students to learn different things. They learnt many new concepts related to the topic. We received good feedback from the college.