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Eve teasing

In India, eve teasing is a euphemism, primarily occurring in Indian English, used for public sexual harassment or sexual assault of women by men. The name "Eve" alludes to the Bible's creation story concerning Adam and Eve.[1] Considered a problem related to delinquency in male youth,[2] it is a form of sexual aggression that ranges in severity from sexually suggestive remarks, brushing in public places and catcalls, to groping.[3][4][5]

The Indian National Commission for Women has suggested that the expression serves only to trivialize the seriousness of the offence and should be replaced by a more appropriate term.[6] They argue that, considering the semantic roots of the term in Indian English, Eve teasing refers to the temptress nature of Eve, and places the responsibility on the woman as an alluring tease.[7]

As with most forms of personal harassment, sexual harassment is notoriously difficult to prove in a legal sense as perpetrators often devise intentionally discreet ways to harass women, although Eve teasing usually occurs in public spaces and streets and on public transport.[8] Some guidebooks to the region warn female tourists to avoid attracting the attention of these kinds of men by wearing modest, conservative clothing.[9][10] However, this form of harassment has been reported by both Indian and foreign women in conservative dress.[11]

  1. ^ Barrett, Grant (2006), "Eve Teasing", The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English, McGraw-Hill Professional, p. 109, ISBN 0-07-145804-2
  2. ^ Shah, Giriraj (1993), "Eve-Teasing", Image Makers: An Attitudinal Study of Indian Police, Abhinav Publications, pp. 233–34, ISBN 81-7017-295-0
  3. ^ "Lewd nature goes unchecked". The Times of India. Kanpur: Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. 26 February 2009.
  4. ^ Venkataraman, Rajesh (13 April 2004). "Controlling eve-teasing". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 September 2004.
  5. ^ Khan, Shoeb (15 February 2009). "Harassment in public places a routine for many". The Times of India. Jaipur. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference nat was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Gangoli, Geetanjali (2007), "Sexual Harassment", Indian Feminisms: Law, Patriarchies and Violence in India, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., pp. 63–64, ISBN 978-0-7546-4604-4
  8. ^ Faizal, Farah; Rajagopalan, Swarna (2005), "In Public Spaces: Security in the Street and in the Chowk", Women, Security, South Asia: A Clearing in the Thicket, SAGE, p. 45, ISBN 0-7619-3387-5
  9. ^ "India – Practical information – Health & Safety". Lonelyplanet.com. Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on 17 June 2012.
  10. ^ "India – Tips for Women Travelers". Frommer's. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012.
  11. ^ Dutt, Nidhi (13 January 2012). "Eve teasing in India: Assault or harassment by another name". BBC.

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