A recent unfortunate incident involving the rape of a 22-year-old pub attendant in south Delhi has once again highlighted how unsafe the capital is for women who work the graveyard shift.
The girl hired the cab late at night from Mehrauli to return to her residence in Vasant Kunj. However, according to the police, the driver took her to a deserted place in Chattarpur and raped her.
Radio cabs were thought to be a safer option for those who work the graveyard shift because of their prompt service and GPS. But with a cabbie proving to be the perpetrator of crime, what measures can women take to be safe late in the night? Being alert and doubly cautious seems the only way out.
Public relations professional Tanha Bhalla, who often hires cabs for professional and personal reasons shares, “For official purposes, we hire cabs from a travel agent whom we’ve known for years. I do believe that the onus of being safe largely lies with a woman. It’s best to be prepared for grave situations. A chilli spray in one’s bag is a must. Being in touch with a friend or family member while commuting is advisable. I do alert my parents about my movement when I am late or travelling alone.”
This incident shouldn’t demotivate women in the capital, believes additional DCP Suman Nalwa, crime against women, who says, “You can’t limit yourself because of one incident. Safety is all about common sense. We (police) are not running away from our duty. There are certain things a woman can and must do to keep safe. Like following the concept of a safety buddy. Inform your friend, partner, parent, boyfriend etc of your movement when you leave from point A to B. Keep a number on fast dial in case of any emergency. There’s an online application that tracks your movement on your mobile phone.”
MBA student Mehak Chawla (name changed on request) narrates a recent incident. “We had hired a local cab and were on our way back from Gurgaon, when the driver started getting chatty with us. My friend without making it obvious randomly started making calls and began talking like she was a journalist. She made fluke enquiries about cops and some cases and the driver didn’t bother us anymore. I don’t want to think what could have happened if I was alone. Those were the most difficult 30 minutes ever. I am not sure of travelling in a cab for some time atleast.”
For media professional Sakshi Arora, hiring a cab isn’t a big deal. She prefers private cabs over local ones. “Ever since radio cabs are here it’s a big advantage to women like me who don’t have fixed working hours. I rely on them and so far in the past year, haven’t faced any problem. In fact, when I have to go for parties, I prefer to hire a cab than drive.”
Interestingly, DCP Suman shares that unlike in the West, India lacks civil liability. “Here, laws are not strong, but in the West, a company ends up paying millions if a civil liability case comes up. There one mistake is not taken lightly and companies take extra care, checks and balances are stricter there.”
Rajesh Puri, CEO, Meru Cabs points out that proliferation of new cab companies offering low fare affects the quality of drivers. Offering tips to be safe, Rajesh says, “It’s best to hire cab from a well-known company and preferably book a cab from a call centre or the website. If you’re travelling in our cab, you can inform the call centre employee to track the route. All our drivers are verified by the cops and have the basic documents that permit them to drive. They undergo seven day programming in soft skills and also appear for a driving test along with colour blind test.”