Indian female journalists 'must take precautions'

After the brutal gang rape of a photographer in Mumbai which stirred memories of a similar attack in New Delhi late last year, the dangers of being a female journalist in India.

According to police reports, the latest incident occurred on Thursday, August 22 in an isolated part of India's business hub of Mumbai, where the 22-year-old woman, accompanied by a male colleague, was on assignment to take pictures of an abandoned textile factory. Five men are said to have confronted her with an offer to help her get permission to shoot inside the building.

The young photojournalist was then reportedly gang raped while her male colleague was tied up and beaten. The case was reminiscent of the fatal December gang rape of a young university student in New Delhi that sent shock waves across the country. 

I wouldn't say the job is fundamentally dangerous, but one must take precautions. For instance, female journalists should avoid walking home alone at night. However, many of my colleagues have no choice since they finish work between 10.00 p.m. and midnight.

It's not as if we would all be attacked and raped, but such incidents occur time and again. We know that women are not safe in cities such as Delhi, especially in busses. The subway is safer as there is more security personnel and better surveillance. There are hence fewer cases of sexual harassment in the Delhi Metro.

There are less people on the streets after 9.00 or 10.00 p.m. and, as a woman, you feel insecure when you are being stared at. When women get out of the bus or metro and start walking home, they feel insecure as the streets are not well lit. There are many things that can happen, ranging from harassment and assault to rape. However, one should not exaggerate as these things don't happen every day.

Nowadays, all media companies in the country provide transportation to employees commuting late at night. After the fatal gang rape of a medical student last winter, security guards are assigned to all the vehicles transporting female employees to ensure their safety. A woman must never be the last person to be dropped off.