Girls’ colleges take measures to deal with cases of harassment

With the rise in crimes against women in the city, some girls' colleges have taken a few initiatives to help their students to tackle the problems. After the recent eve-teasing cases, colleges have set up special cells and are introducing self-defence classes.

PG Govt College for Girls, Sector 42, and its women's cell coordinators have set up a youth adaalat where each Friday, the students get a platform to voice their grievances and develop strategies on how to deal with issues that the girls face on a daily basis. "This forum helps us confide in our college authorities and provides us with support to deal with certain issues which we often tend to ignore," said Jyoti, a BA student. On this platform the girls are given a chance to freely interact with the staff body and discuss issues that girls often shy away from discussing. The college also provides individual counseling to students who need extra support with regard to personal issues.

The college has also taken steps to discuss gender sensitization and the women's cell has also taken initiatives to introduce post college self defense classes. The college thus encourages woman to step forward and helps them voice their grievances. "We need to sensitize the men of the society so that they learn to respect women and not treat them as objects of sex. Moreover we need to ensure that woman speak up," said Jyoti Seth, coordinator, woman's cell, PGGCG college.

MCM DAV College for Women, Sector 36 has an active woman's helpline known as 'Geetanjali' that serves to redress any sort of grievances that the students face. The college also has an emotional support cell that assists students with problems that they face inside college and outside.

Colleges such as Government College for Girls, Sector 11 also encourages weekly tutorials with students and holds interactive discussions with students. "Girls need to come forward and discuss their problems, which we encourage them to do," said the principal Achala Dogra. The college also has a gender sensitization society that works actively with the girls in the college.

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