Am I Safe While Travelling Alone in New Delhi?

- Shreya Sabharwal

For someone, who is born and brought up in Delhi NCR, Delhi might be a safe place to travel alone. However recent incidents have tarnished the image of national capital, locally as well as globally. Living in Delhi since so long, I used to think that Delhi was a relatively safe place for women. Many incidents occurred which were crime against women but most of them were unnoticed. Due to so much increase in the crime , now I am so worried about the security of women especially in Delhi. I can’t even imagine to stay out of my home after 10 pm even if I am with others. Day in and out there are so many cases which highlight the brutal attacks on women. You don’t even  need to look at the statistics collected by the National Crime Records Bureau to reveal that women in Delhi face high levels of violence. Just  a random check of the daily newspaper is enough to support this.

Women in Delhi run the daily risk and fear harassment attack, assault, rape and murder both within homes and outside. Having travelled in a public transport especially in local buses and sharing autos. I too had my share of unwanted activities such as being whistled at and being touched at various places. But now the crimes of the unspeakable horrors leave me disappointed and scared. Either its the Delhi Gang rape of a 23-year old student by 6 men who then beat the woman with iron rods, robbed her belongings, stripped off her clothing and dumped her dying on the road or its the recent Bengaluru Mass Molestation case, where goons had gathered on the bustling MG Road and Brigade Road , they groped and molested women in full glare of policemen who were deployed in the area.

These crimes against women shock me and shuns my idea of travelling in Delhi. People say travelling alone at night is very unsafe because if you are travelling alone then you are are more vulnerable and will not be physically competent.. But if one thinks and takes these cases in account then what about Jyoti Singh, the Delhi Gang rape victim who was travelling with her friend and the recent Bengaluru Mass Molestation Case took place in front of the eyes of a number if policemen.

It sends chills down my spine when I think of such violence against women and  makes it difficult for me to combat with my urge to travel alone. Yes, I travel alone a couple of times and I’m tempted to say that I’m lucky nothing terrible has happened with me but the statement just annoys me because it shouldn’t come down to luck. As a woman, I shouldn’t have to hope and pray that a man doesn’t decide to harm me. I believe its soul searching time now for the entire nation. Delhi might have taken the lead as the “Rape Capital ” of India, but the problem of women safety encompasses the entire nation.