Surge in harassment cases keeps police on their toes

Sessions to be held to sensitise students about different forms of violence

LAHORE:

Lahore police has decided to start approaching girl students at educational institutes as part of an awareness drive against a surge in sexual harassment cases.

The first session for the purpose was held with the students of Lahore Women College and University (LCWU) by Lahore CCPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar and other senior police officers.

LCWU Vice Chancellor Dr Bushra Mirza, students affairs directors, students and teachers from different educational institutions including Assistant Professor Home Economics College Humaira Mubarak Bjatti, Dr Arsalan Liaqat and Dr Hamza from King Edward University attended the session.

 

Earlier, police had conducted walks and flag marches against women harassment and eve-teasing.

Read Rising harassment cases haunt Lahore

Two weeks back, a seminar was conducted and a week back an anti-harassment cell was inaugurated at Defence-B police station.

As a step forward, police has started visiting women educational institutes. New IGP Rao Sardar Ali Khan had also stressed for adopting anti-harassment, gender-based violence among the top priorities of the police.

While addressing the participants, Dogar said there were many social and economic factors and multifarious reasons involved behind the increase in the cases of sexual harassment and violence against women. “These factors,” he said, “included an increase in population, remoteness from religious and moral values, lack of mind grooming, negative use of internet and use of drugs.”

While speaking on the occasion Dogar shared that over 1,000 cases have been registered against the harassment cases during the year. At least 400 were registered in August.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2021.