Every Second Woman In Chennai Slums Gets Sexually Abused, But Only One Of Ten Victims Report It

Nearly one in two women in city slums has been a victim of sexual abused but only 10% of them report the incident to anyone, according to a survey by Coimbatore-based NGO Dhagam Foundation. The survey was carried out in slums at Besant Nagar, Saidapet, Semmenchery, Kasimedu, Ramapuram and Vyasarpadi.

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Madras high court advocate V Kannadasan, who has served as a special public prosecutor in cases related to child rights, said the survey findings reflect the reality."Women in slums face sexual harassment from in-laws in many cases and are afraid to speak out." Kannadasan said, "There is a lack of awareness about women rights, even among cops at all-woman police stations. In many cases, the victims are turned away by them with the advice that it is safer not to speak out."

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The survey also found that at least one in five women in city slums is married off before she turns 15. Among 1000 women surveyed over a period of two months, at least 400 women said they were married before they turned 20, to men several years older.Unhappy with their marriage, 40% of these women have separated from their husbands. Most of the women blamed their in-laws for the separation.

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As for education, only 40% of the women made it past the primary school and only 2% were post-graduates. Women said the school dropout rate is high as they cannot afford sanitary napkins. In the absence of efforts by the government to address related issues, policy researcher Vanessa Peter said, "There is an urgent need for a comprehensive childcare programme in slums, with emphasis on the girl child. The programme must ensure access to reproductive health care, secondary education and establish anganwadis that provide prenatal and post-natal care."

Gender discrimination at work and the threat of sexual harassment have forced 33-year-old psychology graduate Vijaya from Besant Nagar to set up a roadside eatery to make ends meet.