Frotteurism:
(The Unknown Truth Of Sexual Abuse In Public Transportation)
image source: Rebel circus
Webster dictionary “medically” defines Frotteurism as paraphiliac practice of achieving sexual stimulation or orgasm by touching and rubbing against a person without the person’s consent and usually in a public place, it’s called frottage.
image source: sunugal24.net
In much simpler terms its common sexual abuse of our body in public places or public transport, when someone rubs their pelvis against our hips with wrong intentions; this unwanted contact is called “Frotteurism”. Shockingly, there is no word for this unwanted abuse of our body in our official language.
And what’s even more shocking is that no one ever talks about it in our country. Recently, a man in Delhi was caught masturbating in the bus in front of a lady passenger after being unsuccessful in wooing her for sexual advancement. But that was an open wide incident and the lady was courageous enough to somehow get footage of this occurrence, normally there are different types of sexual harassments happening in public transports on daily basis.
On busy days, it is normal to be pushed into the metro at Rajiv Chowk terminal and surrounded by many men, sometimes I am packed in the middle of 3 to 4 males and I could feel their pelvis rubbing to my body. Unfortunately, the metro is so busy and crowded that even though we don’t feel comfortable being in this situation, there is nothing else we can do but to tolerate.
(Priyanka Jindal, a daily passenger.)
The situation is much worse in rural areas where the modes of transportation are limited and over-crowded; these incidents are often over looked and considerably less acknowledged. There are many girls who would stand up against this type of harassment and there are girls who do not wish to get any attention and tolerate this rubbish.
Ever since the corporate culture is imposed upon us, we have developed a tendency to follow the urbanized countries and it reflects in our eating, dressing and working styles but when it comes to respecting the privacy and sanity of a woman; some of us are still handicapped with the lusty old habits and denial behavior.
There are laws to prevent this kind of unacceptable behavior, according to section 354 (A)(B)(C)(D) of IPC, it is stated that all non-mutual sexual advancements are considered as a crime. Further section 354 (A) clearly states that “physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures” is a punishable offense. On top of that section 294 states, singing, uttering or reciting an obscene song or words in a public place is also a crime. But some laws are like speed breakers, you can’t fill the gaps. Moreover, in such type of incidence, no one ever comes forward to complain, as for some it is an intended crime.
This mentality of granting immunity to these offenders encourages them to continue this kind of obscene behavior in public transport. Although in some cases, women do take quick action by slapping or pushing the wrongdoer, mostly the severity is not accommodated due to which the lusty behavior becomes a part of daily lives of these public offenders and easily converted into severe crimes like rape.
Pushing a girl in public transport is never justified and use of the pelvis is a severe crime; “frotteurism” is a real word and an everyday criminal act, experienced in our public transportation. In the mist of today’s women empowerment advertisements and protest for “Nirbhaya” case in past, we must not forget that the offenders do not arrive from Mars, they are among us and one of us only. If you overlook a criminal act today, the intensity of the crime will increase tomorrow.
I, Varun Awasthi, hereby state that
a. This article authored by me is original and not plagiarized from any other sources.
b. This article has not previously been published/featured in any other media prior to this.
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